01
ABOUT
THE FILM
'Getting There' tells the story of Shakeel, a Pakistani grandfather in his 70s who decides to finally take the first step out of the closet.
The film is South Asia and LGBTQ forward and tells a sensitive, subtle story about finding the courage to finally be oneself.
Critically and commercially successful veteran director, Mehreen Jabbar (‘Fipresci Prize’ by ‘International Federation of Film Critics’ and ‘Satyajit Ray Award’ at the London Film Festival for her feature ‘Ramchand Pakistani’) will direct the film. Academy-Award Nominee and Golden Globe winning Mira Nair is our executive producer.
Our goal is to premiere the film at major film festivals i.e. Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, Venice and BFI for their 2024 cycle, followed by submission and screenings at other top tier short film festivals.
We believe that this is an important story to tell. LGBTQ stories have a long and sad history of being suppressed and censored in South Asian societies. Despite the experience being a real and integral part of life, both in South Asia and in the South Asian diaspora around the world, such films have only recently started finding space to be showcased. We know that by telling this small story, we will be talking about a very human experience that transcends boundaries and cultures.
02
DIRECTOR's
Statement
With “Getting There” I wanted to capture that exact moment in a queer South Asian person’s life when they are faced with the decision to finally step into a world they have long tried to repress.
For an older South Asian who has lived their entire life in the closet because of the demands of societal and cultural pressures, that step becomes even more overwhelming and intimidating.
By capturing that moment in our protagonist’s story, this film aspires to shed light on the coming out journey — a rite of passage — while also addressing ageism in the LGBTQ community.
Visually I see this film from two points of views: For Shakeel’s POV the camera stays next to him. It is intimate, close enough to catch his breath, his anxiety, his wonder and his eventual connection. We see how the world appears to him. The chaos of the throbbing diverse Jackson heights neighborhood. The challenges that aging and not so abled people go through in New York. The fear of being recognized when standing in line. And his wonder at the fleeting sights and sounds of the club.
We also see him from afar in the various worlds (in his cramped apartment, in Manhattan, from the perspective of the club door and young men in the line, on a bench a safe distance away from the entrance etc). The switch in POVs will underline the conflict between how he sees the world, how he sees himself and how the world sees him.
03
why this
story?
One would normally not equate a ‘coming out’ story with a lovable, elderly Muslim grandfather who apparently looks and acts in a ‘heteronormative’ manner. We rarely hear stories of older gay South Asians, especially those who have had to keep their true selves hidden for decades.
As we witness Shakeel's tentative steps into a world he has always shunned, it feels like watching a child taking his first steps. We can sense his fear, curiosity and the weight he has been carrying all his life. While he may not achieve his desired outcome, he has learned how to walk.