Kya Poem : Short Film

After the loss of her mother, seventeen-year-old Zahra is desperate for the space to grieve in her own way: in solitude. When she discovers a VHS tape of her mother reading an Urdu poem as a young girl, Zahra is haunted by a new sorrow: she can’t understand the language. With the arrival of her Nanima from Pakistan, the two of them must navigate their grief through a language barrier and learn that healing comes in many forms, even when words are scarce.

Why Support?

This film was created by a group of BPOC (Black, People of Colour) and equity-deserving communities. The film represents the challenges one can face when navigating through grief of life and loss of language and culture.

In a time where their is barely any Muslim or South Asian representation, this film provides a positive means of representation for both communities.

Our supporters

This film would not have been produced without the support of the Videateur Collective, InColour Media, InColour Rentals, and Charles Street Video. We would like to express our gratitude to these organizations that dedicate their time, mentorship, and resources to uplift under-represented communities in film.

CAST

Devki Patel as Zahra

Zahida Murtaza as Nanima

Wes Malik as Adam

Director's Statement

In undergrad, I lost two people very close to me. My way of coping was to compile photos, read their notebooks, and collect stories from people who knew them. But I realized you can never preserve somebody who has passed. There will always be unanswered questions, untold stories, and memories left uncollected.

Kya Poem tells the story of Zahra, a seventeen-year-old Pakistani-Canadian girl grieving the loss of her mom. While going through her things, Zahra finds a VHS tape of her mom reading the Urdu poem Humdardi, revealing a side of her that she never knew. As a second-generation immigrant, losing someone also means losing family history and Zahra fears she’s realized this too late.

Though my identity as a Pakistani and Indo-South African Canadian is important to me, I never learned to speak Urdu. Similarly, Zahra never tried to learn Urdu, ask about her mother’s childhood, or even speak to her relatives in Pakistan. At twenty-one, I finally asked my Nanima if she would give me lessons. Nanima has a passion for Urdu poetry and the first poem she taught me was Humdardi by Allama Muhammad Iqbal. When I wrote Kya Poem, I kept thinking about everything I gained through these lessons: a connection to my heritage, a feeling of belonging, and a deep love for Nanima.

In my grief, I often felt like reality and memory blurred together. For Zahra, flashes of her mom as a young girl haunt her every waking moment. But when she finally opens up to Nanima, these memories shift to becoming magical and a source of connection between the two of them.

To me, this film is about embracing the imperfect beauty of how second-generation immigrants must piece together words to connect to our ancestors. In the pivotal moment where she asks Nanima “Kya Poem?” Zahra takes a step towards the history that shaped her. With a touch of magic, Zahra and Nanima find a way to be with her mother in memory; a reminder that through loss, there’s a way back to the stories that bind us together.

Other Ways To Support

We understand if you are unable to make a financial contribution to help us reach our goal. If you are interested in supporting Kya Poem, their are plenty of other ways you can amplify our project.

1. Spread the word! Let your friends and family know about the film. Share our posts and campaign to your social media!

2. Follow us on Instagram: @kyapoemfilm

3. Use the hashtag #kyapoemfilm on all social media platforms.