Private Project

Shakti

To tame her mischief, a single mother enrolls her nine-year-old daughter in private painting lessons in Kathmandu until her child suddenly catches a mysterious illness. When doctors are unable to pin down a diagnosis, her strong-willed mother turns to a local shaman who reveals shared trauma that leads mother and daughter down a path of redemption.

  • Nani Sahra Walker
    Director
    The Last Repair Shop, Other Nature, Forced, Kylie
  • Nani Sahra Walker
    Writer
  • Nani Sahra Walker
    Producer
  • Candi Guterres
    Producer
  • Ida Sonni
    Producer
  • Laxmi Bardewa
    Key Cast
    "Durga"
  • Menuka Pradhan
    Key Cast
    "Maya"
  • Polina Oli
    Key Cast
    "Lila"
  • Akash Nepali
    Key Cast
    "Rabi"
  • Shristi Shrestha
    Key Cast
    "Ms. Joshi"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 35 minutes
  • Country of Origin:
    Nepal
  • Country of Filming:
    Nepal
  • Language:
    Nepali
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    Anamorphic
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Nani Sahra Walker

Nani Sahra Walker is an Academy Award winning executive producer and an independent writer/director. She produced the acclaimed short documentaries Kylie (Sundance, 2023), Merman (Tribeca, 2023) and The Last Repair Shop (Telluride, 2023), which won the 2024 Academy Award.

Nani is an alum of the ARRI International Support Program, Busan APM, Cine Qua Non Lab, SFFILM FilmHouse Residency Program and BAFTA. She is a lecturer at UC Berkeley’s renowned documentary program and mentors filmmakers at the U.S. Department of State programs American Film Showcase and Global Media Makers.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

At the cusp of 2020, I read about the rampant sexual violence toward Dalit women and girls in my native Nepal. When I realized that the statute of limitation was 35 days until 2015, it triggered a deep response within me.

The film is about shattered innocence and self-discovery at the intersection of traditional and modern life in Nepal. The film is centered around a mother and daughter seeking redemption in the aftermath of sexual abuse, a broken justice system, and ultimately the radical power of resilience.

The majority of victims of sexual violence in Nepal are minors. Shakti directly addresses the burden that short statutes of limitations puts on survivors. In cases of child sexual abuse, people don’t reveal the abuse until decades later because of shame, stigma, threats, and trauma. Shakti is a quest for integrity, justice, and compassion in turbulent times.