SPOTLIGHT: AAHSFF Official Selection Filmmaker, Sachin Dharwadker

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As press partners with the All-American High School Film Festival, we thought it would be an awesome idea to interview a few of these talented young filmmakers whose films were chosen for the AAHSFF Official Selection. We are spotlighting these filmmakers one by one, day by day. We’re now into the second week of posting our spotlight interviews on the finalists in the AAHSFF — check out all the ones we’ve posted so far here. Find out what inspired their short film, who they aspire to be, where they see themselves in ten years, and more!

 

Name: Sachin Dharwadker
Film: “In a Special Place”

 

What inspired you the most when making your short film?
My short film, “In a Special Place,” was mainly inspired by two things: a desire to make a romantic drama—a genre I had never tackled before—and a personal experience. As a writer, I’ve always found that the feelings I know most intimately are the easiest to write about. Even if they’re just a starting point, these feelings allow a story’s emotional arc to feel true.

 

Who do you look up to or aspire to be?
In terms of filmmakers, the person working today whom I look up to the most would be Paul Thomas Anderson. To me, his work is closest to the kind of movies I want to make: human dramas that can be sad, funny, and visually breathtaking all at once. In addition, Benh Zeitlin, Lucy Alibar, and the rest of the team who made “Beasts of the Southern Wild” make me believe there’s still a market for raw, emotional filmmaking that doesn’t rely on cheap and easy thrills. They also make me feel like I could actually have a career without needing to sell my soul by blowing things up.

I have a lot of dead role models too: Steve Jobs (he made me aware of aesthetics), Vittorio de Sica (“Bicycle Thieves”; enough said), and Stanley Kubrick, among others. I try to be careful when I call Kubrick a role model, because truthfully, he was a complete asshole to almost everyone, and I generally like to be nice to people. But the level of devotion to his art he displayed throughout his career remains untouched in my eyes, and my ultimate goal is to be that passionate while still remaining personable and loving.

 

What’s your fanspiration?
In the film world, my current fanspiration is Woody Allen’s 2011 movie “Midnight in Paris.” I saw it when it came out, and after recently rewatching it, I can’t seem to get enough. Something about the way it deals with the nature of nostalgia speaks to me on a deeply personal level. Also, Adrien Brody’s cameo as Salvador Dali cracks me up.

Outside of film, I’ve been an Apple fanboy for most of my life. I follow everything they do, and their brand has showed me how important it is to have a keen attention to detail. As a filmmaker, that’s a good thing to know.

 

If you could remake any film, what would it be and why?
If I could remake any movie, it would be Zack Snyder’s 2009 adaptation of “Watchmen,” which is one of my favorite works of literature. I just thought that all the incredible substance of the graphic novel was lost in Snyder’s obsession with stylized imagery, and Alan Moore deserves better (though Moore himself said that he will never endorse any adaptation of his work). Some say “Watchmen” is unfilmable, but I just think it needs a good miniseries. I would also love to do a better movie of “Slaughterhouse-Five,” my favorite book, but apparently Guillermo del Toro and Charlie Kauffman are doing just that.

 

 Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In ten years, I see myself struggling valiantly to get an explosion-free screenplay sufficiently financed for production. I might have a day job unrelated to film, but if I’m lucky, I’ll be supporting myself doing what I love the most. Maybe I’ll have a production company with some of kids I’ve recently met here at NYU’s film school. All of that is up for grabs; I just have to be able and willing to jump high. Wow, I knew eight years of competitive basketball would eventually come in handy …

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ABOUT AAHSFF
This year New York City is hosting the first annual ALL-AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL FILM FESTIVAL, giving students a chance to showcase their short films on the big screen. There is an All-American Basketball Game, and many similar ‘All-American High School’ competitions but nothing for film – a genre young people are embracing at breakneck speed. The festival is the brainchild of award-winning filmmaker Andrew Jenks. His films have been distributed by HBO and ESPN and his critically acclaimed documentary series, ‘World of Jenks’ is currently casting for season three. At age 16, Jenks founded a local High School Film Festival. Ten years later, his initial idea has turned into an opportunity for young filmmakers to showcase their talent. We have received nearly 1,000 amazing submissions from over 40 states as well as Japan, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands and France.

Author: Heather Duval

Heather Duval is a co-owner of Fanspired and entered the world of pop culture at an early age by studying film in high school, attending IMTA in NYC and working with New England Models Group. With a Bachelor’s degree from Keene State College, Heather studied Marketing and Business Economics, filling every possible elective with film studies, social media and web design.

1 thought on “SPOTLIGHT: AAHSFF Official Selection Filmmaker, Sachin Dharwadker”

  1. Hullo Sachin: Just read your interview, and admire, as usual, your ability to articulate your thoughts in exactly the right words (wonder where you got that from!). You already have a complex relationship with the medium you are studying, and “In a Special Place” is an early confirmation that you know what to do with the medium at multiple levels. Looking forward to the festival next Friday! Aparna in Madison

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