Film and Discussion: Saffron Kingdom (2024)
Physics Building, Stolkin Auditorium
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The Moynihan Institute’s South Asia Center presents Arfat Sheikh, producer and director of Saffron Kingdom.
Saffron Kingdom (1hr 23m) traces the journey of three generations as they confront the political turmoil and personal upheaval shaped by Kashmir’s history. Through deeply personal storytelling, the film delves into questions of identity, endurance, and the enduring scars left by conflict. Inspired by real events, Saffron Kingdom tells the story of a Kashmiri family uprooted from their homeland in the 1990s and living in exile in Atlanta by 2019. Masrat, haunted by the violence of her past and the disappearance of her husband, struggles to build a life for her son Rizwan in an unfamiliar country. As mother and son navigate displacement and inherited trauma, their sense of self is further shaken by the 2019 revocation of Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status.
The screening will be followed by a discussion with director and producer Arfat Sheikh.
Arfat Sheikh is a Kashmiri-American filmmaker and producer whose work explores identity, memory, displacement and justice, shaped by his upbringing in Kashmir. His debut feature Saffron Kingdom is a globally acclaimed, multi-award-winning film that has screened widely in theaters, universities and community spaces worldwide and earned him recognition as an emerging filmmaker. The film has been acquired by Watermelon Pictures, the distributor behind The Teacher, All That’s Left of You, and The Encampments.
His work has been featured by international outlets including the BBC, TRT World, The Independent and Dawn. Through Daffodil Studios, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, he also directed the documentary Whispers of the Valley while developing his next feature.
Category
Research Support
Type
Films
Region
In-Person
Open to
All Students
Alumni
Faculty and Staff
General Public
Organizers
Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs, South Asia Center
Accessibility
Contact Matt Baxter to request accommodations
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