Escaping Agra
Directed by Pallavi Somusetty
Description
Naveen Bhat was trapped in India on summer vacation after their parents took away their passport upon discovering their gender and sexual orientation. Indian-born but raised in the U.S., Naveen wants to get back home to life as a UC Davis student, but their parents have other plans for their offspring. As Naveen battles their parents in court, they find surprising acceptance within the Indian legal system, which recognizes transgender people as a legal third gender. ESCAPING AGRA follows Naveen’s journey as they make their way home to California to piece their life back together. Naveen is determined to live a life of dignity, but discovers they may never escape the trauma of their past. Please note: Naveen, whose gender is non-binary, uses they/them pronouns.
Director's Bio
Pallavi Somusetty is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and video journalist, and a recent graduate of UC Berkeley’s J-School. As the Creative Director for Chandi Films, she films and edits important stories for media outlets, clients and loved ones. In her spare time she fills up her phone with photos of her kid.
Credits
Producer: Pallavi Somusetty
Director: Pallavi Somusetty
Cinematographers: Pallavi Somusetty, Vanessa Walker
Composer: Tikku Sircar
Editor: Pallavi Somusetty
Plays in
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Pink House, Pink Home
Shorts Programs / 84 mins
In private living rooms, within community art spaces, on city streets, and across moviescapes, trans and queer folk dare to dream of home. — Erica R. ChoIn This Program: Semiotics of Sab, Sounds Like the Sound of Music, Escaping Agra, The Streets Are Ours: Two Lives Cross in Karachi, I’m Fine, Separar
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