Chandler International Film Festival 2019 - Nana's Secret Recipe
After losing all their retirement savings in a Ponzi scheme, five women band together to create a bakery serving pot desserts.
Interview with Director/Producer Mehul Shah
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! As many filmmakers and creatives experience, we often get that whisper in the back of our minds that it’s time to create something. It often happens when life gets stagnant, or we go through some personal loss or ideal.
That happened for me a few years back after our election results. I felt a sense of loss and sadness, and wanted to fill that void by creating something fun and zany, something that I would like to watch. I was browsing for scripts on the Blacklist and came upon first time screenwriter, Yolanda Avery's script, and immediately connected to it.
Strong female characters of a certain age, a fun, zany plot, and larger than life villains really made this script stand out to me. I loved how the film was reminiscent of some of my favorite 90s films, like "Steel Magnolias" & the "First Wives Club," but with an edge to it like "Breaking Bad." I knew it would be an uphill task ahead of me, but I was determined to bring these beautiful characters to life.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think this film has something for everyone. There's laugh out loud comedy, there's drama, and there's experiences that are often overlooked by Hollywood that we address for the ageing population. We all can relate to one of the character's struggles and desires, in this film, and I think you'll have a lot of fun and laughs along the way.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I think the root message that rings out throughout the film is about women helping other women. In this current climate of the #metoo movement, it's time this message rings out loud and clear, the importance of the female voice and viewpoint. Not to mention friendship, love, acceptance, and going above and beyond for a friend in need.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It's definitely evolved from Yolanda's first draft. We tried to maintain her vision and her sense of humor, but we really wanted the film to highlight the five main female characters equally and allow each one to shine, which I think we accomplished with our final draft. Not to mention re-tooling the ending, but you'll have to see that to understand.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
It's been so amazing. Watching it with an audience who laughs out loud, and have a good time is so gratifying. Even hearing sniffles and sobs on the emotional parts, there's a certain sense of satisfaction to see people go through that journey with our characters.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It's been extremely humbling to hear after our screenings that everyone can relate to some of the struggles these females go through. That someone has had to overcome the same issue that our characters go through. Even kids, who I didn't think would enjoy it, really enjoyed the film, especially the performances of our two villains of the film, played wonderfully by Michelle Sherrill and Matthew E.G. Jones.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would love for more people to see the film, because I think it's very relatable. It's fun, but it also touches on some deep issues that are often overlooked, including medical marijuana, dealing with life after the death of a loved one, divorce, and hiding your true identity. The main cast is all female, over the age of 40, which Hollywood often overlooks, and I think we touch upon a lot of issues going on with the ageing population that haven't been addressed yet in film.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Right now, we'd love any coverage we can get, as we've just begun our journey as the film has just been completed. Also, we're looking to get it out to the masses, so any distributors who could share this film with the world would be wonderful .
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would love for people to just laugh, just forget their troubles for an hour and half, and just see themselves in these women, their experiences, their struggles, and realize we are not so different. We all have the same hopes and desires, and we're more alike than different.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
I would say the key question is, "How far would you go to help a friend in need?" Would you kill for them, bury a body for them, do something illegal for them?
If you could help them live another day, I think a lot of us would risk the world to help someone we love.
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you again so much for having me. I'm very impressed with what you're doing.
This film had a mainly female cast and most department heads of the crew (aside from me) were female, so we are a female-driven film. I'm so proud to say that, because honestly it wasn't a case of purposely trying to do that, but I was just looking for the best crew for the film, and they happen to be female. I hope other films can work towards that and see everyone as equals, regardless of gender, class, or sexual orientation.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Right now we are all working on various passion projects, looking for the right way to work with each other again. Not to mention a sequel to Nana's. I'm currently developing quite a few ideas for Bollywood films, and am always looking to collaborate with others who come to my production company with an idea to pitch. We often look for stories from different viewpoints, a way to entertain, but also share important ideas of tolerance and understanding with the world.
Interview: January 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Nana's Secret Recipe
After losing all their retirement savings in a Ponzi scheme, five women band together to create a bakery serving pot desserts.
Length: 1:44:00
Director: Mehul Shah
Producer: Mehul Shah, Mansi Patel
Writer: Yolanda Avery
About the writer, director and producer:
MEHUL SHAH is an award winning Indian-American independent filmmaker and writer. His other films include Diwali, Bollywood Beats, and Tied up, and has produced other titles including Bug, Hold Your Peace, No Loss // No Gain, and Ticked off Trannies with Knives. He's also starred alongside Claire Danes in Homeland.
YOLANDA AVERY is a first time screenwriter hailing from Monroe, Louisiana. She currently has two other scripts in production and her own line of baked goods releasing called Bammy Sweets.
MANSI PATEL is a South Asian female producer whose screen credits include Bollywood Beats & Diwali. She also has appeared in Bollywood film and TV. She's a producing partner at Kinetik Films.
Key cast: Linda Bradshaw, Nancy L. Gray, Cinda Donovan, Trish Powell, Charlotte White
Looking for: sales agents, distributors, journalists, film festival directors, buyers
Facebook: Nana’s Secret Recipe movie
Website: https://www.kinetikfilms.com/
Funders: Self-funded, Indiegogo