HBO has selected Indian American filmmaker Nirav Bhakta as a finalist for the third annual Asian Pacific American Visionaries, a short film competition which showcases cinematic storytellers of Asian and Pacific Islander descent.
Bhakta was chosen for his film, “Halwa,” which tells the story of an Indian woman, played by Indian American actress Vijaya (Vee) Kumari, who rekindles her relationship with a childhood sweetheart through Facebook messages, but her abusive husband takes notice. The film was co-directed by Indian American Gayatri Bajpai.
The filmmakers’ intent was to “give an authentic voice to the voiceless and draw audiences into the quiet psychology of these characters and share what makes them human” rather than succumb to stereotypes.”
“It’s an incredible honor that we don’t take lightly,” said Bhakta, whose first short, “Honor,” spotlighted honor killings. “For us, it’s not about the awards; rather, it’s about being heard. I’ve grown up as an undocumented immigrant in this country with a fear of remaining unseen or not having a voice. It’s now empowering to give a platform through storytelling to the quiet and complex lives of immigrants. “
Bhakta began his journey as an actor, but because of the lack of authentic roles for Asian Americans, decided to create narratives focusing on the immigrant experience. The young filmmaker, with an educational background in architecture, added that there are thousands of more such stories waiting to be told.
Bajpai, the director of short films such as “Muck” and “Housewarming,” is a two-time UCLA Directors’ Spotlight winner. She said she is interested in telling stories about people who find themselves caught between cultures.
“When you’ve moved a lot growing up, your identity can start to feel fragmented. One of the joys the digital age affords us is keeping alive the connections that sustain our histories and identities. I wanted to explore, an intimate way, how reconnecting with someone from her past helps this immigrant woman over 50 rekindle a sense of self,” said Bajpai, who holds an MFA in directing from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Bajpai and Bhakta are next creating a documentary about the experiences of a Mexican trans woman who was trafficked by a drug cartel into sex slavery.
Bhakta and the other finalists, filmmakers Julie Zhan (“Zoetic”) and So Young Shelly Yo (“Moonwalk With Me”), will premiere their films at the 2019 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival in May.
The finalists were selected from hundreds of submissions and were judged by a distinguished panel of HBO executives, industry leaders and fellow APA filmmakers.
