Join us in conversation with an Oscar-nominated director as we explore her career journey, and the power of documentary filmmaking to drive change.
- Online event.
- Q&A follows the discussion.
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nisha Pahuja (BA 1994 UTM) will reflect on a journey shaped by curiosity, courage, and a deep belief in the power of storytelling. Raised between India and Canada, Nisha's early experiences navigating discrimination and patriarchal expectations became the grounding for her lifelong commitment to social justice through art.
After “accidentally” discovering documentary filmmaking, she found the perfect fusion of narrative and activism - a blend that culminated in To Kill a Tiger, an eight-year cinematic odyssey following an Indian father’s fight for justice for his daughter. The film has since inspired the global #StandWithHer movement, empowering survivors of gender-based violence and engaging men and boys as allies.
Nisha's story will show you that the path to purpose is rarely linear, and that even a single story can have powerful impact that reshapes hearts, communities, and creates real change.
Register now so you don't miss out on this inspiring conversation!
About Nisha
Nisha Pahuja is an Oscar®, Peabody, Grierson and Emmy-nominated filmmaker based in Toronto. Her latest film, To Kill a Tiger, had its world premiere at TIFF where it won the Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film. Since then, it’s garnered 29 awards including the Best Documentary Feature, Palm Springs International Film Festival, three Canadian Screen awards and the DGC Allan King Award for Best Documentary Feature, 2023. The film grew out of a long career of addressing various human rights issues, notably violence against women in India.
In 2015, she won the Amnesty International media award for Canadian journalism after making a short film about the Delhi bus gang rape for Global News. Pahuja’s other past credits include the multi-award-winning The World Before Her (2012 Best Documentary Feature, Jury Award Winner, Tribeca Film Festival; Best Canadian Documentary, Hot Docs; TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten; Best Documentary nominee, Canadian Screen Awards, the series Diamond Road (2008 Gemini Award for Best Documentary Series) and Bollywood Bound (2002 Gemini Award nominee). In 2024, Pahuja was invited to be a Member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Have questions about this event?
Contact Adrian Barrow, Alumni Engagement Coordinator at adrian.barrow@utoronto.ca
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