Ankita M. Kumar, a filmmaker and journalist from the Bay Area, recently achieved a significant milestone with her documentary film “Far From Home” winning the Best Documentary award at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival in September. The film stood out among 73 other documentary entries and captivated audiences with its powerful storytelling.
“Far From Home” sheds light on the struggles of Afghan refugees living in India, with a focus on the challenges faced by individuals like Samira Faizi. Samira, an Afghan refugee who relocated to India in 2021, navigates through the complexities of the asylum process and grapples with the absence of a concrete refugee law that jeopardizes her future. The documentary not only follows Samira’s journey but also highlights the experiences of her family, as well as other Afghan refugees in the Bhogal market area of Delhi.
Ankita M. Kumar shared her motivation behind creating this documentary, expressing her desire to shift the narrative around refugees. Instead of the typical portrayals of refugees making treacherous journeys to Europe or the United States, Kumar wanted to spotlight the lesser-known struggles faced by refugees in India, especially after the implementation of the CAA in 2019.
Funded by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and the American Institute of Afghanistan, and produced by Emmy-nominated producer Brent E. Huffman, “Far From Home” has garnered recognition beyond the Chicago South Asian Film Festival. The documentary is set to be showcased at prestigious events like the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival and the Tasveer Film Festival.
Prior to its success at the Chicago festival, “Far From Home” had already received acclaim at the CFM Film Festival in the US, where it secured four awards. Ankita M. Kumar expressed her hopes for the future distribution of the film, aiming to reach a wider audience in India and spark meaningful conversations about the refugee experience.
With this recent award under her belt, Kumar anticipates that the film will attract the attention of distributors, ultimately enabling “Far From Home” to reach more viewers across India. The impact of this recognition is expected to propel the documentary’s journey and amplify its message on a broader scale, resonating with audiences and shedding light on important humanitarian issues.