MOM & ME
(Alt Title: I Love You More Than My Life)

A documentary about the filmmaker's complex relationship with her mother as she struggles with mental illness borne from advancing age.

Story

Indira Somani is a journalist and filmmaker who has always prized her close lifelong relationship with her mother. Shipra Somani, now 83, was - for most of Indira's life - vibrant, outgoing, and nurturing. She was an award-winning social worker, activist, and community leader - well known in South Asian circles. 

In her practice, Shipra was always the one in control, strong for others, eager and willing to help those who she could. In recent years, Shipra, once caretaker to so many, has struggled with her own depression and mental illness. Her daughter Indira is now her caretaker. 

MOM & ME is a documentary film by Indira Somani, who specializes in telling stories about day-to-day struggles and triumphs faced in real life. This film is, needless to say, her most personal project to date, as it revolves about the single closest relationship she has ever had. The film addresses its subject matter with a sensitivity toward South Asian culture, where depression and other mental illness is not always seen as a "real" illness. To the best of Indira's knowledge, no South Asian feature film has addressed this before. The film presents it within the frameworks of caregiving for a loved one, and Indira and Shipra's very precious and complicated mother/daughter relationship.  

A moving archival montage, built from the family’s Super 8 film, is interwoven throughout alongside present-day images, to give the audience a stark and poignant contrast between the caretaker Shipra once was in her days as a working mother, to someone who now struggles to keep her independence, and must rely on her daughter for help - so she can better cope, endure, contribute, and maintain her quality of life. 

This film presents loneliness, caregiving, and the onset of mental illness (borne mostly of age), in a frank and deeply personal way. It also illustrates how, when loved ones offer support and proper health care, a life well lived can often continue to be quite fulfilling. 

BY VIRTUE OF A FISCAL SPONSORSHIP through From the Heart Productions, Inc., pledges made to this campaign are tax-deductible, to the amount and extent allowable by law. See section on "Fiscal Sponsorship" - very bottom of page.

ABOUT THE FILM

Indira Somani navigates her mother’s physical and mental healthcare while balancing two sets of values: her Indian world, and her American world. Her journey is both universal as she transitions into being the caregiver to an elderly mother/widow and specific to cultural expectations surrounding traditions within the South Asian community. 

This personal story allows the audience to focus on the dynamic between mother and daughter as they navigate a journey of emotional and physical support for one another. In this manner, it holds a mirror to the audience, and hopefully, some will find a connection to their own family’s intergenerational and health struggles.

The recent COVID pandemic shed a bright light on the lack of caregivers in the U.S. and the issues underlying caregiving as a sustainable paid profession. Many countries outside the U.S. also face this problem, and it is a issue likely to be magnified over the decades to come. In this documentary, when the daughter takes on the role of a caregiver, she becomes closer to her mother. She also becomes physically drained. By the end of the film, the daughter changes when she realizes how much she still needs her mother - emotionally - for her own well-being.  

While Mental Illness and Caregiving are primary issues in this film, the overriding themes are the close bond between mother and daughter and the value of interpersonal human connection. In this film, the tables have turned as the mother - an esteemed Social Worker once dedicated beyond herself to her patients - now suffers from the same illness of depression that plagued those patients. This film adds validity to the care that the mother needs and receives, and the role the daughter plays, balancing her own life with her role as her mom's caregiver.

DEPRESSION - IN SOUTH ASIAN CULTURE

Depression is something not usually talked about in the South Asian community, and there have been few, if any films in mainstream media, bold enough to embrace the truth of this cultural dilemma in the face of unavoidable reality affecting so many around the world. In South Asian culture, if someone is diagnosed with depression or other forms of mental illness, religion dictates that prayer play a role in the solution. It is difficult to seek professional help for fear it will be inappropriate and can bring shame to a family.  

Indira and Shipra attend the Hindu Temple in Springfield, IL to receive darshan (blessings). 

83-year-old Shipra Somani, formerly a social worker and community activist, is open about her mental illness, which is especially unusual for women of her generation in South Asian culture. Always an advocate for truth and beneficial change, Shipra wants to show that even highly-educated, successful seniors can be debilitated by mental illness, and she is not shy about breaking new ground.

In general, the South Asian community refuses to admit mental illness affects them, places a stigma on the family and the larger society, as detailed in the 2015 article by Priya-Alika Elias in The Silence about Mental Health in South Asian Culture is Dangerous. Moreover, according to a 2019 study in the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, South Asian immigrants increasingly experience high rates of unaddressed mental health disorders. Shipra Somani's socio-economic, cultural, and professional background make her a vital character for expanding the conversation about mental illness within a diasporic community because she's achieved outward success.

And that success extends to her preparation of delicious South Asian cuisine. 

Shipra makes rotis, because her husband and daughter are vegetarians and love eating them.

FILMMAKER COMMENTARY

Indira says: I am from Springfield, IL, home of President Abraham Lincoln, the heart of the farmland. My parents came to the U.S. as international students from India in the 60s. Although I was born in Pittsburgh, Springfield will always be my hometown.

My interest in non-fiction began when I was a journalist, specifically a television news producer for 10 years, and a broadcast journalism professor for 18 years. I wanted to further extend my knowledge of non-fiction and by becoming a better documentary filmmaker and returned to school to earn my MFA. I have learned that making a film is a “process,” and the journey of the documentarian is often in the edit room.

Prior to earning my MFA, I directed and produced two documentaries, Crossing Lines and Life on the Ganges; both films focus on India and/or the Indian diaspora in the U.S.; both screened in film festivals, and were distributed in the educational market.  My goal is for an audience to watch my films, whether it be a film festival, broadcast, VOD, or a streaming service.

I feel confident in telling stories about the day-to-day struggles and triumphs we face in real life. In 2002, my dad passed away, and since then I have been living with my mom’s depression. I have always wanted to make a film about how she copes with her mental illness - this story is important, because mental illness is not talked about in the South Asian community. I asked my mother if she would be willing to be the subject of my film. Without any hesitation, she whole-heartedly agreed. She too wants to advocate for South Asians who struggle with mental illness and help people understand the value of family support with this disease.

As someone who has straddled two cultures growing up in the U.S., I also believe it is important to make effective, convincing films about how people survive and thrive in mainstream culture while maintaining a distinct cultural identity. Thank you for reading and supporting my effort to finish Mom & Me.

MEET THE TEAM

Indira Somani - Director/Producer

Indira Somani’s documentary films focus on India and/or the Indian diaspora. One of her objectives in making films is to foster better understanding of different ethnic groups. Her award-winning short documentaries include: Life on the Ganges (2017), a film Somani shot, directed, and produced, while in India on a Fulbright-Nehru Senior Research Fellowship in 2011. The film won Best Short Documentary at the Cannes Short Film Festival (not associated with Festival de Cannes) and at the Berlin Independent Film Festival (not associated with Berlinale). Crossing Lines (2007) is a personal documentary about Somani’s connection to India after the loss of her father. This film screened in film festivals nationally and international, won numerous awards, including a Gracie Allen Award for “Best Documentary-Short,” from the Alliance for Women in Media and “Best Documentary Award,” from the California Arts Assn. Digital Short Film Festival, and aired on PBS affiliates through NETA from 2008-2011. Both films are distributed by New Day Films. Prior to pursuing documentary films, Somani was a television news producer for 10 years, and a broadcast journalism professor for 18 years. Soman has taught broadcast journalism at four universities in the Washington, DC area, most recently at Howard University. She has also been a leader of SAJA, South Asian Journalists Association. Indira also earned her MFA in Directing/Production in the Documentary track at UCLA, her Ph.D. in Journalism and Public Communication from The University of Maryland and an MSJ from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Somani’s academic research in intercultural communication focuses on television use and its effect on maintaining cultural identity. As someone who has straddled two cultures growing up in the U.S., Somani believes it is important to make effective, convincing films about how people survive and thrive in mainstream culture while maintaining a distinct cultural identity.

Jennifer Crystal Chien - Story Producer

Jennifer Crystal Chien is a documentary filmmaker with a focus on personal storytelling from underrepresented communities. She is the Executive Producer of Alive in Bronze: Huey P. Newton (2023), now streaming on Paramount+. She has produced and directed several documentaries focused on stories from the Chinese, Guyana, Polish, and Turkish immigrant communities, including Waiting for Bekir, Advayam, 3JahLove7, and one little bird. Her films have screened at film festivals nationally, including the Atlanta International Documentary Film Festival and Big Apple Film Festival. Previously, she worked as a Production Manager for films for PBS broadcast and appearing at Sundance Film Festival, including The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution and Freedom Summer. She is a recipient of the Center for Cultural Innovation’s Investing in Artists grant for artistic innovation and is a former filmmaker-in-residence with the Center for Asian American Media. In 2017, she co-founded Re-Present Media, a grassroots nonprofit that advocates for personal storytelling in documentary film and nonfiction media. Her advocacy and education work were recognized with a 2022 DOC NYC Documentary New Leaders award. She has an MFA in Social Documentary Film from the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Raquel Hagman - Director of Photography/Producer

Raquel Hagman is a Cinematographer with a strong background in both narrative and documentary films. She recently won the Eagle Award for Best Cinematography from the Los Angeles Cinematography Awards for the film, Vida, a narrative film that has won numerous film festival awards.  Originally from Florida with strong ties to her Puerto Rican roots, Hagman graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BFA in Film Production. After graduation, she worked as a videographer/editor for the NBC local news affiliate in Cleveland Ohio, where she earned a regional Edward R. Murrow award for an investigative series on the opioid crisis 'Riders on the Storm' in 2018.  Hagman has also been nominated for regional Emmy awards as a News Videographer/Editor. Hagman earned her MFA from UCLA’s Graduate Cinematography program, where she was the DP on several narrative thesis films, and works as grip/electric and a gaffer on set. 

Myron Santos - Editor

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Emmy-nominated editor Myron Santos got his start working for independent documentary producers, on projects ranging from Tibet-China relations to the architectural history of Washington, DC. Since moving to Los Angeles, he has edited in a variety of genres, from comedy sketches for Upright Citizens Brigade Theater to game trailers for Blizzard Entertainment to scripted dramatic short films. He earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia and is a member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Brenda Ávila-Hanna - Consulting Producer

Brenda Ávila-Hanna is filmmaker and educator from Mexico City who has lived in the CA Central Coast for over a decade. Her work has been showcased at HotDocs, Lakino Berlin, PBS, Fusion Network and more. Brenda was part of the inaugural cohort of DOC NYC’s “Documentary Industry New Leaders” and a 2021 Rockwood/Just Films Fellow. She is a member of the film distribution cooperative New Day Films, and Brown Girls Doc Mafia, Color Congress, and co-director of the Video Consortium Mexico. She has been a reviewer for film grants including the IDA, California Humanities and BAVC. Brenda currently is an adjunct lecturer at UCSC, where she also received an MA in Social Documentation. Brenda is the Artist Development lead and a programmer for the Watsonville Film Festival, where she co-created the Cine Se Puede filmmaking fellowship. Brenda is currently a producer for the ITVS supported film Emergent City and is producing two other Latin American documentaries about women's solidarity and resilience.  Her first documentary feature is in post-production, Libertad, about an indigenous, transgender woman from rural Mexico living in California and transforming communities on both sides of the border as a healthcare expert and advocate.

Meghan Shea - Consulting Producer

Meghan Shea is an award-winning director & producer who specializes in non-fiction filmmaking. Meghan creates compelling, research-based, visually driven stories. Her work moves fluidly between documentary, impact storytelling, artist collaborations, and branded content. She is a co-founder of Persistent Productions, with offices in Boston and Singapore. Meghan is particularly interested in how documentary film can impact and support social and policy change. Her film How I Live has worked at the intersection of science, public health, and policy to advocate for more equity in childhood cancer. Other films in Meghan’s documentary portfolio include Under the Turban which premiered at the United Nations Film Festival, In the Spirit of Laxmi which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and Shooting for Democracy which premiered at The Bend Film Festival.  Her films have won Best Director at The Chambal International Film Festival, Best Feature at the United Kingdom’s Fisheye Film Festival, Best Short Documentary at the Gold Coast Film Festival, plus a Social Media Impact Award, and a CUGH-Pulitzer at the Global Health Video Awards. As a member of New Day Films, Meghan serves on the Steering Committee.  She earned her MFA from The George Washington University.

BUDGET, TIMELINE, & USE OF PROCEEDS

The film is in production ... once it completes that stage, it will enter post-production which includes final editing, sound design, color correction, music, and - depending partly on the success level of this campaign - some animation and effects.  

FISCAL SPONSOR