Meet Dhwani Shah

We recently connected with Dhwani Shah and have shared our conversation below.

Dhwani, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

If anything, it has helped me embrace my unique perspective. Confidence is key—I trust my voice and the value it adds. I also make it a point to find mentors and allies who get where I’m coming from, and I focus on building genuine relationships.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am a writer, director, editor, rubik’s cube enthusiast and a casual chess player. I could go on about my rubik’s cube journey, but I’m guessing your readers may be more interested in my filmmaking career! I started out like everyone else – making magic trick videos on my mom’s old Nokia phone and eventually moved on to real movies, or at least that’s what people call them. I am a big lover of all things narrative, and off late I’ve been coming into my voice as a filmmaker through the horror genre. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been a big fan of the occult (who isn’t? lol), but I didn’t think I had the chops to make one of those scary movies myself. It’s been a real journey of self-discovery, with more than a few awards along the way (#humblebrag).

My first horror short film ’44’ (now available on YouTube) garnered quite a bit of critical acclaim at film festivals around the world; or as my hip young cousin would call it “street cred”. I have since made a few other shorts, and the one I am most excited about is currently in post-production; a psychological horror short called “SEEN”, starring (the amazing!) Kausar Mohammed and backed by the RASA Film Group. I’m looking forward to an exciting year of festival runs with it next year!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Number 1, have a short-lived memory. Joy, as we all know, is pretty short-lived anyway. But people tend to hold onto mistakes and failures for much too long. Learn how to let go, and you’ll be ready to make your next great mistake again. Eventually you’ll tip the scales in your favour.

Number 2, go for a run. Or hit the gym. Or become a culinary enthusiast. Do one thing everyday that you can complete from start to end. Get in the habit of reaching a finishing line; and more importantly – the habit of putting yourself outside your comfort zone.

Number 3, have fun with your art. It’s quite easy to get lost in the commerce of it all, to pin all your hopes and dreams on that one great story or film that will have you jetsetting to Hollywood; or the song that’ll get a million streams on Spotify. While I’m the #1 advocate of dreaming big, it’s kinda critical to hold on to the playfulness of it all. The childlike impulse that is pure, raw, unstructured. What I am saying is — go make a bad painting of a sunflower. It’s actually great for you.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

They gave me and my brother autonomy, very early in life. They have always been great listeners and strived to provide as best as they could, while constantly exposing my brother and I to culture, travel, various arts. They are always going to be my biggest ‘hype man’ and the people responsible for raising a daughter who’s very sure of herself (sometimes to a fault). It’s hard to imagine having such a capacity for hustle, hard work and undeterred faith if I didn’t have a happy childhood and a rock solid support system.

My parents are my biggest sources of inspiration. The more I scope out the world around me for stories, the more I am drawn to the four walls of my home and the two people inside them, whose lives are the greatest stories to have panned out in front of me.

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