User:Jessielaurenza/sandbox

Nisha Pahuja(1978- present) is an Independent Canadian Filmmaker. Born in New Delhi and raised in Toronto, Ontario. This writer/artist/director got into film through studying English lit, working in social services and through working as a documentary researcher. This filmmaker is currently a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellow

Early Life
Nisha moved from India to Canada with her family when she was 3 years old. Growing up, Nisha faced adversity as she was bombarded with a new "western lifestyle", "In the West, one always lives with the shame of being Indian or brown. You always try to hide your identity and your culture. But the film [Bollywood Calling] helped me discover myself. It taught me to get over the shame of not being white and that being Indian could be very beautiful and very heroic, just like the movies." Nisha attributes her interest in film largely to her upbringing and she was constantly exposed to Hindi films and liked the roles that they offered Indian girls growing up in a Western context, " I saw young Indo-Canadians making a beeline for pageants and film shows, claiming their stakes in the game of fame. Fame, that they could find only in the bright arc lights and beneath the greasepaint of Bollywood". Nisha is also a fellow of the Bellagio Centre, which is a part of the Rockefeller Foundation. This foundation promotes the well being of humanity through various initiates and conferences led by individuals such as policy makers and scholars. This centre has a fantastic record of positive change including the Green Revolution and the Global AIDS Vaccine Initiative. Nisha has always wanted to influence positive change and be a part of projects that benefit humanity which is reflected through the main themes of many of her films.

Career
Nisha moved from her homeland of India to Toronto, Canada, but she still maintains close ties with India and visits regularly. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts, English Language and Literature from the University of Toronto, Mississauga campus, in 1994, this filmmaker became increasingly interested in the film medium.

Nisha chose to focus her efforts on documentary film making specifically because she loved seeking real individuals with real stories who paint a great picture of bigger societal problems. Real stories attract this director because, "A human being reveals themselves to you in such a profound kind of way. I think I was just really drawn to that, to the idea of real people, real stories and being able to connect to them." At the beginning of her career Nisha worked as a researcher with Canadian filmmakers John Walker and Ali Kazimi. After gaining some experience Nisha began her own filmmaking career and sought after characters who revealed things about our world in a broader context. Nisha's films are both a success back in her homeland and in North America, making her an international name. Instead of choosing a traditional Bollywood path, Nisha is quoted as saying "I have no plans to venture into Bollywood as I like directing real subjects" which solidifies her main focus as a film maker on the documentary category.

The Kickstarter Iniative
The creation of Nisha's most critically acclaimed film would not have been successful if not for the generous fundraiser support it got through an online Kickstarter fund. The World Before Her was a film that sparked the interests of a few international broadcasters in Toronto ; however, it seemed impossible to create due to financial restrictions. In order to pursue her dream Nisha created a kickstarter with the goal of reaching $50,000 in order to screen the film across India and to various social workers to spark political change. On the official site, Nisha writes; "It’s simple. Most documentary filmmakers have one goal—that by sharing their films they can affect some kind of change. Every now and then we get lucky. We find a story that captures the zeitgeist and has potential to become a lightning rod for discussion, introspection and real change. That’s what we have with The World Before Her" The initial kickstarter has surpassed its original goal by reaching $57,000, and the site has since revamped their goals to create more positive change by kicking off a 6 month campaign starting on National Women's Day (March 8) to screen the film across the country

Awards and Nominations
Nisha's third film The World Before Her received the most attention as it won: "Best Canadian Feature Documentary (2012) at the Edmonton Film Festival, "Best Documentary" (2012) at Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival "Best Foreign Film" (2012) Traverse City Film Festival "Special Jury Mention" (2012) at the San Diego Asian Film Festival "Best Documentary Feature" (2012) at the Tribeca Film Festival "VFCC" Award for Best Screenplay at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle (2012) "Best Documentary" (2012) at the Warsaw International Film Festival This film also had nominations in: Zurich Film Festival (2012) for "Best Documentary"  Genie Awards (2012) for "Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary" Canadian Screen Awards  (2013) "Best Feature Length Documentary" Santa Barbara Film Festival (2013) "Social Justice Award for Documentary Film"

Filmography
- Bollywood Bound (2003) - Diamond Road (2007) - The World Before Her (2012)