Experiencing Interruptions?

Sapling (10 minutes)

A young writer's creative session takes an abrupt turn when her mentor initiates an uncomfortably edgy game of ‘Truth Or Dare’, unraveling the intricate web of consent and power politics.

  • Dhwani Shah
    Director
    44
  • Dhwani Shah
    Writer
    44
  • Lydia Muir
    Producer
  • Mila Besson
    Key Cast
    "Sam"
  • Ningyi Sun
    Key Cast
    "Archie"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 1, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    iPhone 4K
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - New York Film Academy
  • SmartFone FlickFest
    Melbourne
    Australia
    Highly Commended Award
  • QFest LGBTQ Film Fest
    Asbury Park
    United States
    September 24, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival
    Dhaka
    Bangladesh
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Dhwani Shah

Dhwani is a Indian writer-director currently based in New York City. With a career spanning over a decade, she has made her mark across all stages of film production, earning accolades and recognition along the way.

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Director Statement

'Sapling' delves into the intricate nuances of consent within situations that often carry 'plausible deniability.' Through this short film, I aim to shed light on the complexities of power dynamics in the workplace, the elusive boundaries of consent, and the issue of same-sex sexual harassment.

As an advocate for women stories told by women, 'Sapling' had a majorly diverse female cast and crew extending but not limited to a South Asian writer-director, French and Chinese cast, Taiwanese producer and Egyptian-Canadian DOP.

Since this was a student short film produced as part of a screenwriting conservatory program at the New York Film Academy, I chose to shoot on the iPhone to push the boundaries of what's possible, demonstrating that high-quality content can be achieved while keeping production costs low.