First World

Ruhi, a young Delhi woman struggles to express herself in Hollywood with the same joy and exuberance of the early Indian films she and her mother loved to watch. At last she is offered an audition for a Delhi woman in a lucrative series. When the white American director tells her that her skin tone and voice aren’t authentic, she finds her voice and asserts her identity. In refusing to become a stereotype, she preserves a loving relationship with her mother and her best friend, and even paves her way for a second chance at the part. “First World” explores how we express our cultural and gender identities and misunderstand even those we are closest to.

  • Ritendra Datta
    Director
    Alice Memorial Park, Dark Circle
  • Paul Heller
    Director
  • Paul Heller
    Writer
  • Ritendra Datta
    Writer
    Alice Memorial Park, Dark Circle
  • Roshni Datta
    Key Cast
    Man Brows, Alice Memorial Park
  • Jose Ornelas
    Key Cast
  • Paul Costello
    Key Cast
  • Casey Bastians
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 56 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 31, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, India
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ritendra Datta, Paul Heller

Paul Heller is an award-winning writer who uses highly engaging characters, humor and satire to interrogate what it means to identify as American. He often collaborates with actors, directors, puppeteers and dancers from India, Mexico, Vietnam, China and Korea, to create theater that examines social justice issues such as race, the economic impact of prison, the border, and political agendas. He is a three-time artist in residence at the Djerassi Resident Artists Program in Woodside, CA and a Fellow with the National Endowment for the Humanities. He is a past Artist in Residence at Z Space and a current member of New Threads Theatre. His plays have received grants from the Zellerbach and Wattis Foundations, Theatre Bay Area’s CA$H program, and the California Creative Capacity Fund.

Ritendra Datta is a San Francisco based screenwriter, filmmaker, cinematographer, playwright, and film editor. He has written and directed short films in Hindi, English, and Bengali. His films (Alice Memorial Park, This Day That Year, O Mother Where Art Thou, Life and Debt, Dark Circle) have been selected and/or won awards at the South Asian International Film festival, Chicago South Asian Film Festival, Santa Fe Film Festival, the Phoenix Film Festival, The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Cincinnati, India International Film Festival of Boston, International Film Festival of Shimla, Ayodhya Film Festival, Pune Short Film Festival, and several others. Ritendra's film 'Fortune Seller', made in 2 days, won 11 out of the 16 award categories at the prestigious 48 Hour Film Competition (San Jose chapter).

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