Sep 8, 2023
I loved talking with Deepa Mehta. I could have listened to her for
hours, and I wish she could be my friend for life.
Deepa is a citizen of the world, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose
work is celebrated internationally and has played at every major
film festival. Deepa has worked with George Lucas, yet often has
turned down Hollywood to create emotionally resonating,
award-winning cinema that matters to her and you and
me.
Born in India and an immigrant to
Canada, Deepa is a visionary storyteller, and her fearless journey
has taken audiences to places they could never have imagined. She
challenges conventions, breaks barriers and sparks conversations
with a rare authenticity that lingers long after the credits roll.
Her work at times has been so provocative that her life has been
threatened, and her film sets destroyed by those who fear the
truth.
Deepa shares her journey and talks
about her latest documentary, I Am Sirat. This groundbreaking work
was shot entirely on smartphones. This film tells the story of
Sirat Taneja, a transgender woman who must act as her mother's son
when at home in New Delhi but can be the woman she is with her
friends and work. It is the story of duality and belonging – two
themes that weave through Deepa's films and lead us to question our
place on this earth. Do we belong?
I Am Sirat is premiering at the
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and is one of the eleven
films competing for the Best Film Award at the London Film
Festival.
I then invite Lexi Marton, Director of Brand Marketing at RBC, to share what RBC is doing during their 15th year as a major sponsor of TIFF and what RBC is doing to help emerging filmmakers create and find the audience their content deserves.