MELA is a short documentary film about Project MELA (Mating Ecology of a Lek-breeding Antelope), an interdisciplinary research initiative supported by the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour at the University of Konstanz. Aimed at students and researchers, the film offers a behind-the-scenes look at how scientific knowledge is generated and shared—from formulating research questions to conducting fieldwork, combining state-of-the-art technology with traditional methods, engaging with local communities, and creating new avenues for communication by collaborating with artists.

In the grasslands of Tal Chhapar, Rajasthan, India, a herd of blackbucks, a species of antelopes, gather on the open ground under the scorching heat of the desert sun. Dark brown circles of varying sizes, made of dung, mark the ground. This is the territory marked by each male blackbuck on the mating ground called a lek. The male blackbucks swing their long winding horns back, stomp the ground and face off in short parallel walks. Those brave enough, clash their horns and engage in fierce fights kicking up dust around them. All this pomp and show is to win the hearts of the females watching from the periphery, in a unique mating ritual called lekking. Farther away, a team of scientists have an eagle’s perspective of the drama unfolding. They watch the show on their remote-controlled screens, with three drones capturing every movement of the blackbucks.