Short film tackles big topic

JASON OXENHAM/Auckland City Harbour News

DESERVED RECOGNITION: Film lecturer Dr Shuchi Kothari is flattered her film Coffee & Allah was selected for the Venice film festival.

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It's not Hollywood, but Mt Albert enjoyed a prominent role at a prestigious movie festival.

The suburb is the setting for Auckland University film lecturer and scriptwriter Shuchi Kothari's latest movie Coffee & Allah.

The film tells the story of a Muslim refugee who feels isolated in her new country until someone reaches out to her through a spontaneous game of badminton.

And Dr Kothari says she was thrilled when it landed a nomination for best short film at the Venice Film Festival.

"It's the oldest film festival in the world, so Venice does have that something special about it."

The film didn't win, but Dr Kothari says the festival screening went well.

"We were so thrilled to be nominated we never thought for two minutes we would win. We were just so pleased to be there."

A big challenge was finding an Ethiopian to play Abeba Mohammed, the lead female role.

Eventually, Dr Kothari and director Sima Urale cast Zahara Abbawajji after alerting Auckland's Ethiopian community through the Auckland City Harbour News.

"Casting is not easy," she says.

"You have to make in-roads into the community and do it on their terms, otherwise you can't moan that these stories aren't being told."

Dr Kothari is not a Muslim. But she was inspired to make the film after seeing how Muslim family members were affected by the aftermath of the London Underground bombings in 2005.

"I was disturbed about how their lives changed after that," she says.

"I think perceptions have to be questioned because there are all sorts of Muslims and Christians."

Dr Kothari wanted to tell the story from the perspective of a Muslim woman who was new to New Zealand.

"These women become quite visible on one level, but on another level they're quite invisible because no one has any access to them," she says.

Mrs Abbawajji worked 12-hour days on the film for two weeks with a newborn baby in tow.

She particularly enjoyed playing badminton because it breaks down stereotypes about Muslim women.

"It shows just because we?re covered up doesn't mean we don't enjoy anything but religion," Mrs Abbawajji says.

Dr Kothari has moved on to several new projects.

She is co-writer and co-producer of multicultural feature film Apron Strings and is seeking actors.

If you have a Sikh background and want to get involved, contact Dr Kothari, email: s.kothari@auckland.ac.nz.co.nz.