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Laadli (My Darling)
TYPE: Narrative Short
GENRE: Drama
STATUS: Pre-Production
LOGLINE
A Pakistani-American writer plays the gracious host with her husband on the day she learns her miscarriage is inevitable.
SYNOPSIS
Shazia's just found out her pregnancy isn't viable, and the editor she hoped would acquire her book on Partition has rejected it. They have a dinner party scheduled, and the guests are her husband Tariq's boss and the boss's wife. Tariq thinks they should reschedule, but Shazia refuses. Tariq's been gunning for a promotion at work, the lamb’s been marinating for 24 hours, and she’d rather stay busy. But when Shazia miscarries during dinner, this cultural expectation of always being a gracious hostess is put to the test.
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
LAADLI resonates with Afia's own experience of having a miscarriage while her in-laws had come to stay with them. The experience of going through this while putting on a brave façade for her family was so deeply complex and internalized that she couldn’t articulate it even to herself. Making this film will be an act of catharsis. LAADLI lives within this world of loss, where the only way to deal with a grief so internal and personal is to put on your lipstick and go about your day, trusting that healing will come with time.
KEY CREW
Afia Serena Nathaniel - Director, Writer, Producer
Pakistani American filmmaker, Afia Nathaniel, was raised between Lahore and several air force bases where she grew up with a deep love for fighter jet planes, long road trips and discovering worlds hiding in plain sight. Afia directed an episode of Chicago Med (NBCU Female Forward) becoming the first Pakistani-American female director to be hired by a US network/studio in episodic directing (one-hour drama). Her debut feature, a road trip thriller, “Dukhtar” (Daughter) premiered at Toronto (2014) becoming Pakistan’s Official Submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards®. The film played to critical acclaim in over 20 countries to rave reviews and became the Critics’ Pick (Village Voice) and the People Magazine’s Pick of the Week. The film has won several awards including the Adrienne Shelly award for Directors, Audience Award at Creteil, Best World Feature at Sonoma and Best Director among others. Afia has been featured in the Variety, NYT, Indiewire, NPR, Huffington Post and Screen Daily. Variety says, “Nathaniel proves her mettle in a national industry where distaff directors are rare” with Indiewire labeling Dukhtar as “groundbreaking”, NYT calling it “exquisite” and LA Times billing it as a “gorgeous, suspenseful cinematic achievement”. Afia graduated from Columbia University with an MFA in Film Directing (Dean’s Fellow). She is an alumnus of Gotham, TFI, Film Independent and Berlin Talent Project Market. Afia has been a generous mentor to several emerging filmmakers and has taught screenwriting and directing at: Columbia, Princeton, Tisch and Temple.
Sheba Karim - Writer, Executive Producer
Sheba Karim’s script, formerly "Blighted", now "Laadli (My Darling)", was a finalist at the 2022 Austin Film Festival. She’s the author of the YA novels Skunk Girl, That Thing We Call a Heart, which made several Best Book lists including Bank Street and Kirkus, Mariam Sharma Hits the Road, a NPR Best Book of the Year, and The Marvelous Mirza Girls, winner of the South Asia Book Award. Her fiction and essays have been featured in 580 Split, Asia Literary Review, Femina, India Today, Literary Hub, Michigan Quarterly Review, Off Assignment, Sewanee Review, Shenandoah, South Asian Review, The Rumpus, Time Out Delhi and in several anthologies in the United States and India. She has an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and is a Writer-in-Residence at Vanderbilt University.
Vinny Anand - Producer
Vinny Anand is a true triple threat: Producer, Director, Nice Guy. This lethal combination has paved the way for a career filled with unexpected twists and turns. From being recognized by the Sundance Episodic Script Lab to spearheading numerous productions across a spectrum of budgets, from DIY to collaborations with A list stars like Emily Blunt. He has navigated the topsy-turvy entertainment industry with a blend of grace, foresight, and a lot of meditation. His journey has afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with A-list talent and iconic brands, including Disney, Armani, Hypebeast, Net-A-Porter, and an extensive list of others.
Ronald Austin, Jr. - Producer
Ronald Austin, Jr. embarked on a fascinating professional journey, initially carving his path in the field of engineering before discovering his true calling in the realm of production. Driven by the guiding philosophy that "Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it," he finds inspiration in the belief that art serves as the universal language and that media's essence lies in its capacity to convey profound messages. With a penchant for pushing artistic boundaries, he revels in the chaotic energy of life on set, embracing the sprint-like nature of production.Today, as the Co-Founder of Forty Love, Ronald has etched his mark by producing and directing impactful campaigns for distinguished brands including Brunello Cucinelli and Net-A-Porter. His creative prowess extends to collaborations with renowned photographers such as Tyler Mitchell and Frank Ockenfels, showcasing his versatility and influence in the dynamic landscape of film and commercial production.
Ami Sheth - Lead Role (Shazia)
Ami has acted in films including the recent SXSW Critics Choice Winning Film "Last Beautiful Island" and the TV shows "Dietland" (AMC), "Bull" (CBS), "Blue Bloods"(CBS). She played Chief FBI lab tech Afreen hit NBC TV show "Blindspot" (Seasons 3,4,5). Ami was included in the 2019 Vogue India list of the Top 50 Most Influential Global Indians. She attended college at Boston University and has a degree in Veterinary Medicine. She currently resides in NYC with her husband, two children and mini dachshund Hudson.
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