Cinema as Compassion: Anula Shetty's Storytelling Ethos

In her time since Temple, Anula has become an award-winning filmmaker, and her work has been screened at festivals and museums worldwide. But Philadelphia has always remained special to her. “People ask me all the time, given Mumbai’s huge film industry, why don’t you go back there? There’s something special about Philly that keeps us here. It’s that sense of community.” Anula also credits the tight-knit film community in the city, and of course the “great sense of history here.” Her last major project couldn’t have been more Philly if it tried—she was invited to be the artist in residence with SEPTA. “It allowed me to explore the city in a completely different way.”

The project, titled Philly Daydreams: Stories in Transit, was a yearlong labor of love that was born after a previous disappointment. After applying and being rejected for a grant for independent filmmakers, she thought that was the end of the story. But it wasn’t. “A few months later, I got a call because one of the people on the panel was really impressed by my work and wanted me to be a part of a new initiative they were starting.” That project turned out to be the inaugural collaboration of the Forman Arts Initiative and Mural Arts Philadelphia, where an artist would be embedded in a city organization and create their own project. That artist was Anula. “That’s why it’s so important to keep putting your work out there; you never know who is going to see it.”

The installation celebrated transit workers and riders, and was able to showcase Anula’s passion for virtual reality and augmented reality art. It offered SEPTA riders the opportunity to be “virtually accompanied on their journeys by fellow Philadelphians through stories, daydreams, thoughts and performances” that Anula had filmed. “I wanted to find a way that commuters riding SEPTA could feel a connection with fellow passengers and neighborhoods.” The kiosks, where you can press a button to read a daydream and even enter your own, are still up at a few locations, including SEPTA HQ at 12th and Market streets.

Given how lengthy Anula’s resume is, it’s hard for her to pinpoint a favorite project she has worked on. She jokes that filmmakers talk about their projects as children, because they take so long to prepare, and it’s scary to let them out into the world on their own. She recalls one that has stayed with her; it was not only her first narrative film, but also her thesis film at the time. She traveled to India to film it with her classmates, and while “it was one of those projects that completely breaks you” she recently had the opportunity to screen it again and was moved by how it resonated with audiences despite being filmed so long ago.

Another project that is dear to her heart is one that is both old and new: Villa Africana Colobó. Nearly 20 years ago, she and her film partner were selected to work with a program called Precious Places, which connects filmmakers with local community groups. They got to work with, and showcase, a group of Puerto Rican women called Grupo Motivos in West Kensington. “They were just badass women. They took over the vacant empty lots in their neighborhood that were open drug markets and converted them into community gardens.” Now they’re back working with them to continue to tell their stories. They have an installation at Cherry Street Pier, with augmented reality photos where people can listen to the stories. “For me, it’s so special because you often think about what impact does my work have? Am I really making a difference?” She is elated at how a film they made so long ago is still being screened today and helps preserve the stories of the history of the garden and women.

Anula has also kept busy as an adjunct professor at her alma mater, teaching an advanced editing course. She loves being able to share all that she’s learned over the years, and the lessons that have come along with that experience. “We live in such an amazing world today where you have access to so many tools, and ways to distribute your stories. I’m inspired by my students; they’re already making their presence felt in so many ways and mediums.”

What advice does she have for her students, and others hoping to pave their way into the film industry? “Trust your instincts and be confident.” She explains that this advice even helped her with her recent SEPTA project. “There were so many directions I could go in, but being able to trust that you know you can do this is key.” She adds that it’s important to not be afraid to try new things, even if it’s a medium you haven’t worked in before. “Get in as many experiences as you can!”

With it being AAPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander) Heritage Month, Anula sees her own heritage as pivotal to her work. “My heritage, and my identity as an immigrant has really impacted my choice of what I want to make films about, and what stories I feel are important to document.” Anula wanted to create stories that were grounded in the reality of the people she sees and knows in her own community. “As an immigrant, a lot of times we become filmmakers because we don’t see the stories that we know are true to our life experiences. There’s a strong need to present these stories.” She recounts some of the projects she’s done in recent years to uplift those stories, like one with the Asian American Documentary Network that was during the height of COVID-19 involving anti-Asian violence. Another was called Planting Resilience, featuring the Cambodian American community in Philadelphia.

“I’m hoping to expand on all of these, since the immigrant communities in Philadelphia have amazing stories to tell. You just don’t hear about them as often. I want these stories to be celebrated. With how incredibly diverse Philadelphia is, it is important to uplift those stories.”