Journalism alumna makes first feature film world premiere at TIFF 2021
Toronto-based filmmaker and Journalism alumna Shasha Nakhai (external link, opens in new window) (‘09) makes her first feature film debut with Scarborough (external link, opens in new window) , at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which kicks off this week. The highly-anticipated movie is an adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel by Catherine Hernandez about three kids from a low-income neighbourhood who find friendship and community in an unlikely place. The film was co-directed by Nakhai and her Compy Films production company partner, Rich Williamson (IMA ‘08).
A TIFF Official Selection, the film is also part of the RBC Emerging Artist series, garnering a lot of buzz in the lead up to the prestigious international event, and shining a spotlight on a Toronto suburb known for its multicultural and diverse communities.
Film still from ‘Scarborough’
When communities are threatened with being erased, we want people to fight against that
Nakhai took on the project as someone personally connected to Hernandez, both being from the Filipino community, and having worked with her previously on a short film. She felt a deep resonance after reading the book which Hernandez had personally sent her.
“When I first read it, I was just so taken by the truth and the smallest details,” said Nakhai. “It just felt so truthful for me, and I hadn't seen anything like that done in the Canadian film landscape before, so I wanted to be part of helping to make that happen.”
Co-director Shasha Nakhai on the set of ‘Scarborough’. Image courtesy of @scarbfilm on Instagram
Actor Ellie Posadas who plays Edna in ‘Scarborough’ and Nakhai on set. Image: @scarbfilm on Instagram
Our hope was to center folks who have often been an afterthought by those in power
Representation in Canadian film
Nakhai’s intention in making this film was very much tied to representation. “The Filipinx-Canadian experience is seriously underrepresented in the Canadian film landscape,” says Nakhai. Even with some headway in recent years, she says the goal was to centre the particular experiences and social-political realities of a racialized community.
“Our hope was to center folks who have often been an afterthought by those in power, [centre] those on the literal margins of our city,” said Nakhai. “We also want to remind folks of the value of educators and caregivers and frontline workers, especially going into a new school year in which they need more support and resources.”
Nakhai wants to inspire a renewed commitment to community and a deeper understanding of what that means so that people are always willing to stand up for each other, especially in a city as big and diverse as Toronto.
“When communities are threatened with being erased, we want people to fight against that,” says Nakhai. “And fight against communities being fractured or being monetized, which happens a lot in our city.”
With the social and economic disparities put into harsh relief during the pandemic, this film explores a tough topic as a way to engage the public meaningfully in conversations about poverty, inequality and access, while also thoughtfully portraying the importance of community in fostering strength and resilience.
How a broadcast journalism degree led to a bright film career
In her fourth year of the journalism program, Nakhai made her first 15-minute documentary film in a documentary feature course with Journalism Professor Marsha Barber. She also recalls watching a back-catalog of the history of documentary film in a course taught by former Journalism instructor David Nayman. It was in her final year that it became clear to Nakhai that she really preferred longer form storytelling.
“You could be more creative and you had more colors in the painters toolkit to work with,” said Nakhai. “That's how I realized the 30 to 60 second sound bite wasn't really for me and that I liked longer form storytelling.”
Her advice to students is to take advantage of opportunities and access to equipment and software while still in school, even if it’s just to practice.
“Get access to a camera and practice shooting, get access to an editing suite and practice editing,” she recommends. “Because regardless of what position on a crew or a newsroom you end up having, it's so important to at least understand how editing is done, understand how shooting is done, how sound is done, because it makes you a better leader.”
Co-directors Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson of Compy Films. Photo by Kenya-Jade Pinto
Forging relationships on campus and beyond
Nakhai shares that she met her partner Rich Williamson (external link, opens in new window) in her last year of university. A film student, he was living with roommates in the same building she was living in, just down the hall, at 7 Carleton. They had the effect of influencing each other, with Nakhai veering more towards film and Williamson veering more towards the documentary genre. Together, they launched Compy Films (external link, opens in new window) , a multi-platform media production company based in Toronto and have successfully collaborated on many award-winning projects over the last decade.
Nakhai’s work has screened internationally and has been nominated for multiple awards including 5 Canadian Screen Award nominations; named TIFF’s Top 10; and shortlisted for an Oscar.
'Scarborough (external link, opens in new window) ' premieres in-person on Fri, Sep 10 at 4:00pm at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. Follow the film on Twitter (external link, opens in new window) and Instagram (external link, opens in new window) .
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