A Catholic nun in the western Indian city of Mumbai is creating waves in the film world with her seven-minute fiction film shot in just two days on a mobile phone.
Sister Josefina Albuquerque’s zero-budget movie, titled “D for Dumbo,” narrates the story of Sam, a fourth-grader who faces ridicule due to his slower ability to recall multiplication tables compared to his peers. However, the child, labeled the class “dumbo,” surpasses his classmates when another teacher assigns them a creative exercise.
A member of the Religious of Jesus and Mary, Sister Josefina, was recently applauded by renowned Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah. He awarded Sister Josefina, as she is popularly known, the first prize at an event in Mumbai on August 14.
The film was created as a class project by the inaugural batch of the Professional Filmmaking Course at St. Paul’s Communication Centre in Bandra, a suburb of Mumbai.
The movie is now on its way to the online ALP International Film Festival.
The nun states that the film was produced using available resources and its theme “resonates with everyone on some level.
It was a delightful surprise for me when Naseeruddin Shah mentioned it during the convocation and expressed his identification with the protagonist.”
She shares that the most challenging aspect was scripting the film.
“I had minimal training or experience in writing. Conversely, cinematography and direction came naturally to me. Skills I self-learned during the lockdown period proved useful while editing my films,” mentions the nun, who currently serves as the principal of St. Agnes High School in Byculla.
She sought permission from her superiors to create the movie according to her convenience, expressing her desire to engage in the entire filmmaking process.
Sister Josefina filmed the movie at St. John the Evangelist School in Marol, Andheri, another suburb of Mumbai, where she was the principal for five years. Her cast consisted of students attending summer classes.
The nun, who holds a special place for students who are mischievous or have learning difficulties, noticed something unique about the boy who portrayed the character of Sam during auditions.
“The boy comes from a humble background and wasn’t considered academically gifted. We witnessed a transformation in his personality during the acting sessions.”
Previously, she produced a documentary titled ‘Under the Banyan Tree – A Path to Self-Discovery,’ which follows the journey of an engineer who abandoned material comforts to live in the Aarey forest and assist people in discovering their true calling, resonating well with many.
Her cinematography skills garnered praise when she captured observational shots that portrayed the daily life of an Adivasi. Intrigued by the tribal lifestyle during her walks in the Aarey forest, she based her shoot on them.
As a science and math teacher, Sister Josefina believes in conducting outdoor learning sessions, as she firmly believes that education doesn’t solely transpire within classrooms. She also emphasizes that films can serve as a medium to educate the current generation.
She expresses that the award signifies “recognition and affirmation of my belief. By combining my passion for filmmaking and education, I believe I can extend my influence to a wider audience.”
