Wellington Silver Screeners: Akash Saravanan _{by Alessia Belsito-Riera}

In our Wellington Silver Screeners series, Alessia Belsito-Riera shines a spotlight on the movers and shakers working in the film capital of New Zealand. 

In just a few short years, Akash Saravanan has gone from an engineering graduate in India to an indie filmmaker in Wellington. From the moment he discovered the magic of writing as a schoolboy to his current enrolment in film school as an adult, he has journeyed across the world and to the deepest parts of his soul to learn more about his passion for telling meaningful stories.

Today, with a slew of short films under his belt and plenty more in the works, he tells me about his experience wading into the world of film – in part by accident, in part by sheer force of will – and what comes next.

What sparked your interest in filmmaking?

When I was in school, I didn’t really connect with the sports side of things. I was good at academics, but I felt like I didn’t have any identity to stand by. And I moved a lot. I moved to a new city where I knew no one, and I was struggling there. I had this lovely English teacher who pulled me aside and asked me if there was anything that I found interesting or wanted to try. She was the first person to ask me to explore writing and I think when I did my first writing piece for her class, I realised that telling stories was something I really liked. This teacher showed me something that I had never seen for myself. It all started falling into place. The more I told stories, the more it gave me a sense of identity. Over the years when I became an adult and moved to a different country, I realised telling stories is what keeps me connected to people. I had given up on writing for a while, but when I first moved here, I rediscovered it at a point where I felt like I didn’t know anyone or have any connections. I saw this short film workshop organised by Katherine McRae. That was possibly the first time I sent out any written work, film-wise, to someone. In a weird way, the same thing happened as with my teacher when I was younger. I met this other person who really saw what I was trying to do and gave me words of affirmation. That started off my filmmaking journey.

So you began your film journey here in Wellington?

When I was in India, I was a storyteller, but I was more interested in writing fiction. There is a part of me that knows it’s because I was afraid of showing people myself and being vulnerable. The creative parts I could see for myself involved working by myself, like being a novelist or a playwright. Somewhere you don’t necessarily have to put yourself out there. But when I moved to New Zealand I needed to connect with this new land. That turned me towards filmmaking, which as a medium can’t really be done individually. It was a challenge that I set for myself, to connect with people again. I’m eight years into being in New Zealand, and now I feel like a lot of my stories are very specifically tied to the people I’m surrounded by, to the point where I now think, ‘Can I write something if I go back to my country?’ Now a lot of my connections are tied to here. So whenever an evolution comes again to my life, I look forward to how I will handle it.

Where did your newfound filmmaking passion take you from that first workshop?

I was this engineering graduate who just wanted to let out my creative energy. From there, I took the story that I submitted, Stars and Tides, and decided to make a short film. It was the most interesting experience I’ve had. I knew nothing about filmmaking, and I got to discover my own approach. We made it for $500. It was a single night, and I was directing while holding the boom mic. The other person was on camera. It’s a very simple film about two people talking to each other, but the actors brought so much gravitas. It made me realise I needed to write stuff for people to connect with. Now I’ve decided to go back and study at university and pursue a film degree, while working in film. I’m realising that how I worked in the early stages of my career has cemented how I work in a way that’s different from how establishments teach. So now, I get to choose methods from each world and make an amalgamation that works for me.

Tell me about some of your projects. What stories are you passionate about telling?

When I finished Stars and Tides, I started writing for a bunch of other people and trying to find my voice. I had this film that I wanted to do about a chef who can’t cook. It was something I was really intrigued by. But then I had some personal situations that put me into a writer’s block. During the COVID lockdown, I didn’t know if I could keep sustaining filmmaking as a career, while trying to balance what I needed to manage my visa expectations, survive in this country without being a resident, and have the resources that come with that position. This idea of the chef was the only thing that was in my head. Then around the end of 2022, I had this moment where I was reflecting a lot on life and going through therapy to try and see what I could do to get myself out of this phase. I had this moment of realisation that I was in the position of the chef. It was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve had as a filmmaker. I started thinking of myself as a character and ended up writing this short film, which I called Pantry of Memories, that essentially became a solution to my writer’s block. The writing process for that film was really therapeutic. That’s when I realised how to connect with people as a creator, to be vulnerable with my audience, and open up a part of myself that I don’t usually share with everyone. By showing my pain and whatever I’m going through, maybe I can help others heal themselves.

We ended up filming Pantry of Memories in 2023. The film went to a couple of festivals in Europe. It was my second film, and I went from a crew of two to a crew of 20, without having any experience in a traditional film setting. We had a substantial budget, and we were able to achieve something that was a quality we only could aspire for at that time. After Pantry of Memories I directed a third short, On the Rocks, and I recently directed my fourth film called Call On Hold about an immigrant janitor who’s on hold with immigration. Between each film there has been progression. This was helpful for me to understand what we needed to make something look professional or how to make something quickly without compromising artistic integrity. It helped me understand the balance between being creative and being professional.

How do you find Wellington’s film community?

Individuals who are part of the industry are supportive of each other. There’s a really good sense of community in that we all take care of each other. We are all lifting each other up and being a part of this ethos. There are some limitations, but what those have opened up for us is this tenacity to make stuff despite the circumstances – whatever we get, we can make it happen.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently in post-production with Call On Hold. It’s really ambitious for what we’re trying to achieve. We are looking to get that film to festivals and screened internationally by the end of the year. Outside of that, I’ve produced a short film called Des that is a queer love story within the same ethos of the work I want to do, telling stories that speak from true experiences that people can connect to in a deeper manner. I have a feature film that I’m developing. There are a bunch of musicals I want to do. I have quite a few projects that will explore what we can push for in the Wellington industry. One is a Bollywood musical set in Wellington. It speaks to the Indian diaspora, which is a part of me and my identity, while also speaking to Western musical sensibilities.

One of my key goals is to create more opportunities for alternative sources of funding. In my latest film we tried seeing if we can do sponsorships with people and external investments that are separate from standard sources, because those help to expand what we can do and encourage more innovative voices to come forward. I feel there is a responsibility for me as a Wellington-based creator, as an Indian living in New Zealand, to tell stories that connect with the people who are a part of my community. A responsibility that I really take to heart is to make the path easier for people who will be following me. That’s the thing I want to work towards going forward.