Getting established. It’s the foundational principle of any endeavor or business–to see that initial implementation of an idea, then make the moves necessary to see it become known, relevant, and continually successful over time, ultimately creating the brand those behind it all desire. This can certainly be applied to the concept of what it is to bring the arts to a community, to a city already filled with diverse entertainment offerings–say, Chicago for example. Rich in cultural heritage through everything from music to food and beyond, the Windy City has another facet to it that is equally immersed in unique cultural traditions and the means to display it for the masses–the Chicago South Asian Film Festival (aka: CSAFF).
Representing this incredibly talented section of the filmmaking world, CSAFF has been successfully providing filmmakers and audiences from all over the world a platform to come and witness some of the true gems of filmmaking that the South Asian community has to deliver, doing so with a goal to not just cater to said populace only, but to any and every person and cinephile who has an open mind and eager desire to try out something fresh and new here in the home of Hollywood. But, as with any business, it takes individuals of passion, determination, dedication, and an unwavering, steadfast belief in what they are presenting to the public for consideration, aiming to only provide the best of what, in this case, the South Asian filmmaking arena wishes to bring to the screen and, therefore, for our viewing pleasure.
I had the opportunity to connect with, speak to, and form a friendship with one such person, a man named Jigar Shah, whose heart and spirit in the roles he plays with CSAFF comes through with a shining, vibrant joy that has served wonderfully over the years. Therefore, on the cusp of what promises to be a totally different incarnation of CSAFF in this day and age of COVID-19, here is an interview I did with Mr. Shah, which will give you an even better idea of the soul behind the man and his ardent support of CSAFF.
O.F.F: So, to initially introduce readers to you, can you tell us a little about yourself in general ie: childhood, education, etc..
Jigar Shah: I was born and raised in India to an incredible family. My family and parents come from an academic background. I grew up with two loving parents and an older sibling who always made sure that I was a happy kid. I had a simple yet rich value-based childhood. In addition to academics, my parents ensured that I got involved in different activities in my school, especially the ones I was interested in. I was fortunate enough to learn a multitude of things, be it in art, science, culture, and spirituality. There is a core element which I was raised with – “Giving Back”. I saw my parents involved in projects for the community, and that instilled this trait in me. I was surrounded by hugs, kisses, and an unshakeable faith in me through my parents. My teachers and mentors also played a huge role in my childhood. I’m a Mechanical Engineer, an MBA, and am pursuing my law education. I currently work in a Global Fintech Healthcare Company.
O.F.F.: In reading through your bio, it’s clear that you have a wealth of passion and energy to take on any ventures you enter into. Tell us a little about your journey in the world of business, non-profits, and event organization and what ultimately led you to becoming involved with the Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF).
J.S.: Thanks Kirk. I must say that the passion and energy came from my parents, with values instilled by my teachers while I was growing up. Every individual has gifts and talents that can make a lasting impact. However, only a minority of people utilize those gifts and talents, living up to their full potential. I try to give my best in and to any project I undertake.
I always wanted to give back to the community and I was privileged to work for non-profits. I like putting things together. With my love for art and culture, I also started engaging in event organization. I can see the impact, and people around me can sense that I love what I do. My passion needed purpose, and that is rippling into areas bigger than me. I do have my moments of distractions, but my purpose gets me back on track to focus on what is important.
The world of business has always been a great mentor to me. It has taught me the very aspects which I have to think through with my left brain. You learn to be professional and disciplined in your endeavors. When I moved to Chicago, I came across CSAFF and was completely blown away by its mission, purpose, and most importantly, the films. I’m a storyteller and I have always loved the art of storytelling. I realized that books and films made me happy. Cultures, places, and people inspired me and through films I learned that I can experience all these in one capsule.
Chicago is a city that knows how to strike a chord. It’s the city that overflows with art and culture, even during the coldest winters. I was thrilled to see how CSAFF was bringing art lovers under one roof. From its films, filmmakers, celebrities, artists and the audience itself, everything was just soulful. When I came to know about the founders – Ms. Ketki Parikh, who is a visionary, giver and simply an inspiration and Amit Rana, a dear friend and a connoisseur of right strategy & creativity, and CSAFF team, it was like – I found a family here and it was my calling!
O.F.F.: CSAFF is one of the larger yearly events among the South Asian festivals here in the U.S. What strengths do you feel have brought CSAFF to the levels of success it has gained over the years? Would you be willing to share what areas of further development and growth you’d like to see implemented?
J.S.: Filmmakers and their stories are the ethos of our festival. CSAFF has tried to cultivate an audience in the Chicagoland area which has started to see films beyond just commercial cinema. Our biggest strength is our people and the similar passion they share. We have a supportive Board, an energetic committee and volunteers, and most importantly, a fun-loving audience. We have always strived to create a warm, creative, and homey atmosphere for filmmakers, volunteers, guests, and the audience alike.
We work very hard to broaden the reach and scope of our programming in getting films to diverse and varied audiences. We try to support new films, providing them the best possible launch platforms, but fundamentally this means providing them with broad and engaged audiences. We listen to our audiences carefully and try to find new ways each year to get them more involved. We try to not limit the notion of culture, but to look for the places where culture emerges. In short, we are not afraid of innovative ideas and we constantly explore the event-cinema trend and bring daring, bold, international cinema to Chicago land.
Sure, we always try to bring creative events each year during the festival. We hope to continue and grow in “event-izing” our film festival experience around individual projects. We will continue to strengthen our connection with the community and other cultural associations, so we support each other greatly in that way. I would also like to implement Artist Development Initiatives that would have a meaningful impact on their career paths. We would like to reframe existing work to prompt deeper relationships with social issue–oriented organizations and communities, creating deliberate audience-building structures around these partnerships.
O.F.F.: Being a part of CSAFF, on a more personal level, what kind of fulfilment does it bring you to be able to arrange the programming and celebrity attendees that you offer and has meeting these artists nurtured your drive to keep CSAFF at the top of its game each year?
J.S.: Absolutely! Films were a huge part of my growing up and I still watch films -even during my busiest schedules. Watching so many films through CSAFF has now developed an intrinsic ability in me, so when I see a film, I no longer watch it for just entertainment, but try to dissect it via all the aspects of filmmaking. Programming films has given me a huge sense of fulfilment while at the same time leaving me awe-inspired, seeing masterpieces from talented filmmakers and actors. Programming is the core, the prime nervous system at CSAFF, and therefore we go through a rigorous selection process to present our film lovers with the best!
Every year I learn new things from the artists and filmmakers who visit us, both on the personal front and professionally. Isn’t it great that you can hang with these amazingly skilled artists? Those 4 days at CSAFF is like experiencing art and creativity on steroids. I learn from their feedback and try to improve the festival. Every person involved, including our audiences of course, brings a unique perspective to the festival and it is very refreshing to see how everyone simply cares about it so much. It has pushed my boundaries and has motivated me to be at my best every year!
O.F.F.: Overall, how do you see your efforts with CSAFF impacting the Chicago arts culture, within both the existing South Asian community as well as outside it, and has it had the kind of influence on the City of Chicago that you’ve strived for?
J.S.: Sure. While CSAFF focuses on South Asian content, we add and introduce that “flavor” to the Chicago arts culture. Over the years, we not only have just South Asian audiences, but also non- South Asians and other ethnic groups in attendance, and they have found the festival great. I remember two years ago, after the opening night, a Caucasian couple came up to me and said – “We had no idea that it even snowed in India!” The film we showed was filmed in the northern part of the country and they were able to see the place at its peak during winter.
South Asia and its offerings has gradually become mainstream, especially here in Chicago. I sit on the board and am a jury member for other festivals where I’m always consulted for South Asian content. I am thrilled to see the progress of film production in the city. Chicago is developing into a mini film production hub. We have a newly emerging talent and market for it, with the television industry and independent cinema by far growing the most. That’s one development I think is exciting because we’re seeing more and more great production coming out of Chicago. I think that only contributes to the overall film scene. Can you imagine–Chicagoland has 50+ film festivals?! You can see how diverse and artistic the city is! The Chicago Film Office has been kind enough to provide that international platform for us. We help and participate at the International Film Festival as well.
I am personally trying to connect with South Asian artists with local filmmakers and production houses, and CSAFF has always believed in connecting and bringing like minded folks together.
O.F.F.: How important is it for you to see South Asian cinema find the means to grab a larger amount of recognition here in the land of Hollywood?
J.S.: For me, it’s more about the art, scripts (writing), and honesty which comes with filmmaking in general. Personally, I would like any language film that is true to its core to get recognition for what it deserves in Hollywood. Of course, I come from a South Asian background, so having South Asian cinema get further recognition would be great.
South Asian characters have varied over the past in Hollywood, through the “forever foreigner”–one who has adapted to the culture, but is still a minority, and then the average American. I have also seen the transformation of South Asian content in the last decade. While traditional representations relied on characterizations as either the foreigner or the model minority, more contemporary examples of these representations rely little on ethnic characteristics. We recently saw the accolades of “Parasite” in the land of Hollywood. It is a cultural breakthrough. The accolades from the Academy are proof that this cultural wave is now prevalent in Hollywood. It will be good to be a part of bringing that culture, and altogether different aspects of filmmaking, to America.
So there you have it. A man, a mission, and a total, unshakable intent to ensure that both the beauty of the traditional and the contemporary as found within the South Asian community has the opportunity to become so much more well-established and exemplified in the best possible ways through the art of filmmaking that the intrepid Mr. Shah, CSAFF, and its organizers strive to achieve each and every year. It’s a push to allow us here in the U.S. to understand and ideally discover new avenues of film to explore, a realization there’s so much more to this industry’s value that heralds from other parts of this world that can add new dimensions to our entertainment palettes and in the meantime allow us the opportunity to meet, learn about, and understand our fellow film lovers from the South Asian regions while likewise acknowledging the wonder of simply getting to relate to our fellow human beings through the appreciation of cinema.
I greatly appreciate Mr. Shah for taking time out of an assuredly hectic schedule to share about who he is both as a person and as a fully dedicated member of the CSAFF team, and I truly hope as well that this insight as provided by him will prompt more of us to take a chance and dive into South Asian film so we too can share in the passion, elation, and honest hard work that goes into making it and festivals like CSAFF a much needed part of our reality, in whatever forms that may take in this current age of challenge around the globe. Want to know what Mr. Shah is up to while on his unfolding life journey, CSAFF, and related endeavors? Take a look at exactly how to do that through the following links!
“Follow” Jigar Shah on Instagram: HERE
“Follow” Jigar Shah on Facebook: HERE
“Follow” the Chicago South Asian Film Festival on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter: HERE, HERE, and HERE
Check out the Chicago South Asian Film Festival Website: HERE
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
