Conversations Across Borders | A Podcast Series by South Asians in Cinema Collective

The conversation with filmmaker Nuhash Humayun explores the changing landscape of cinema, the filmmaker's early journey, self-taught filmmaking, accessing international labs, the impact of global recognition, crowdsourcing stories, unintended global reach, navigating the global stage, finding the right path, and authentic storytelling vs. festival expectations. The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities faced by filmmakers, emphasising the importance of authenticity, navigating industry expectations, and the impact of international recognition. It also explores the role of networking, equity in the film industry, and provides advice for aspiring filmmakers. Nuhash Humayun shares insights on his journey, the impact of festival recognition, and the importance of making something unique.Takeaways· Local stories with deep locality can resonate globally· Authentic storytelling is key to global resonance and success.· Authenticity and passion are crucial in filmmaking· Navigating industry expectations and international recognition· Balancing dreams and realism in the filmmaking journeyChapters00:00 The Changing Landscape of Cinema05:43 Self-Taught Filmmaking15:54 Sincerely Yours, Dhaka and Global Resonance21:58 Unintended Global Reach27:00 Finding the Right Path32:36 Navigating Film Festivals and Industry Expectations39:19 Hands-On Filmmaking and International Recognition48:29 Equity and Democratisation in the Film Industry53:37 Advice for Aspiring FilmmakersNuhash Humayun is a Bangladeshi screenwriter and director known for his bold, genre-bending storytelling deeply rooted in South Asian narratives. With a distinctive voice that challenges conventional forms, his work explores identity, politics, and social anxieties through inventive cinematic language.A 2022 Sundance Institute Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, Nuhash is also an alumnus of the Asian Film Academy and has received international support from leading platforms, including Film Independent, Marché du Film, Locarno Open Doors, and NFDC Film Bazaar, positioning him firmly within the global independent film circuit.He first gained international recognition with the anthology feature Sincerely Yours, Dhaka, which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival in 2018 before its global release on Netflix. His subsequent works, including Pett Kata Shaw and the critically acclaimed short Moshari, have further cemented his reputation as a pioneering voice in South Asian genre cinema.Moshari became a landmark achievement, winning multiple international awards and emerging as Bangladesh’s first Oscar-qualifying film. The film’s global success led to Nuhash signing with Anonymous Content and Creative Artists Agency in 2022, with acclaimed filmmakers Jordan Peele and Riz Ahmed joining as executive producers, marking a significant crossover into the international industry.Following this breakthrough, Nuhash expanded into international television, directing the episode “Foreigners Only” for Hulu’s horror anthology series Bite-Size Halloween.With a rapidly growing global footprint, Nuhash Humayun represents a new wave of South Asian filmmakers redefining genre cinema by bringing local stories to international audiences with urgency, originality, and cinematic flair.