Riya

A ten-year-old girl navigates the turmoil of her parents' failing marriage, finding solace in her drawings and playful younger brother.

  • Devki Patel
    Director
  • Devki Patel
    Writer
  • Devki Patel
    Producer
  • Devki Patel
    Story
  • Rarara
    Story
  • Jyothi Janath
    Key Cast
    "Riya"
  • Kiaan Bansal
    Key Cast
    "Akash"
  • Neha Sood
    Key Cast
    "Shilpa"
  • Ashutosh Walia
    Key Cast
    "Rohit"
  • Rarara
    Director of Photography
  • Stephanie Pugh
    Production Designer
  • Eva Phillips
    Editor
  • Brianna Chary
    Sound Designer
  • Amrik Singh
    Sound Designer
  • Hector Jenkins
    Composer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 1, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    5:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - York University
Director Biography - Devki Patel

Devki Patel is a filmmaker & actor from Fort McMurray, Alberta, now based in Toronto, Ontario. Her films focus on intimate relationships that reflect universal themes. Devki believes that at the heart of storytelling is the ability to create positive change, which she aims to achieve in her creative work. She often incorporates elements of her Indian heritage in the narratives and characters she constructs, hoping to increase the visibility of South Asian representation and experiences on-screen.

Devki holds a BFA Honours in Film Production and Psychology from York University. Her short film, "Thand" (2023), was an Official Selection at the International Film Festival of South Asia and won Best Direction at York University's CineSiege. Additionally, Devki is the Industry Series Producer at the Future of Film Showcase (www.fofs.ca), where she delivers distinctive industry programming that fosters opportunities and networking for emerging filmmakers, with an emphasis on uplifting underrepresented communities.

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Director Statement

Creating ‘Riya' was a combination of childhood exploration, personal reflection, and collaboration. The idea for the story first came to me as a device to communicate feelings many children experience in families with marital tension, separation, and divorce. As the process of creating the film progressed, it became a means of healing personal childhood memories and exploring the dynamics of perspectives and relationships in a family home.

I chose to build Riya’s world through a South Asian lens, creating a universal story with cultural influences and family dynamics. My decision in doing so was to both contribute to the on-screen representation of South Asian stories, and to also stay true to myself when writing from a vulnerable place. In the end, we created a film that is simple in nature, but able to speak to anyone despite their background or upbringing. After all, we have all been children and can relate to the unknown of growing up.

A child’s perspective holds so much gold - it is innocent, curious, and pure. We wanted to create a film that was human and full of reflexivity as a way to connect with our audiences, hence why the film is told through Riya's perspective. It was an honour to create this film and I hope those who watch it are able to take something from it, even if it is as simple as tapping into their inner child for just a moment.