Exclusive - Filmmaker Nidhi Saxena on breaking boundaries internationally: “It’s not just pride, it’s validation”

“Of course, the kind of films that I make, they are slightly experimental. They are not exactly narrative. I know that I can make such films only through grants. Otherwise, in the industry, it’s impossible to make this kind of cinema. So it’s very important for films like mine to get grants—just to keep them alive.”

For Nidhi, recognition at festivals is not just an accolade but also survival.

“Festivals are also surrendering to marketing now. Many films we see at festivals are the same template films that will soon come to OTT. There’s nothing wrong with that, I love those films too. But I feel that for all kinds of art to exist, some space must remain for experimentation.”

On struggles and beginnings

Nidhi began her first film during the pandemic, while working as a writer in the industry.

“During COVID, when I came home, I realized my personal writing was very poetic. My teacher, Kamal Swaroop, pushed me to make my own film. I knew I couldn’t get money from the market, so I used my savings. My parents had kept a flat for me, for my wedding. I thought, ‘I’m not getting married now, so let me make a film with that money.’ It was a very small amount, but later, I got the ACF grant, which helped with post-production.”

Her story is one of risk and reinvention, trading a traditional path for an artistic calling.

On cinematic influences

Saxena’s inspirations reflect her deep connection with world cinema.

“I love the magical realism of Apichatpong Weerasethakul—he can bring a ghost to the dinner table and make it feel completely normal. I admire Tarkovsky for his philosophical depth and Bergman for his explorations of crisis. I also love Mani Kaul, Amit Dutta, Kamal Swaroop, Agnes Varda, and Maya Deren. Their films immerse us in atmosphere and observation, not just narrative.”

On vision and the road ahead

Far from being content with one success, Saxena is already preparing her next projects.

“I have thought of doing a third film, a fourth film, a fifth film. I studied screenplay writing, and my mother always told me, ‘Write—because one day you won’t have the time.’ I’ve written a lot, and now I’m ready with scripts. Whichever gets made first, we’ll see.”

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On being a woman filmmaker

Saxena believes her international journey is more than personal pride—it is part of a larger movement.

“It’s not just proud. It’s a validation. There used to be just 3-4% women in international cinema. Now it’s around 28%, which is still very little. But it feels good—we will tell our stories in our own way. My first film had men on screen for only seven minutes out of seventy-seven. My second has twenty women and only two or three men. Because if we don’t tell our own stories, who will? No one else will define what feminism is or what makes a ‘good woman.’ We will define it ourselves.”

For Nidhi Saxena, cinema is not simply storytelling—it is reclamation. Through her bold, experimental films, she is creating spaces where women’s lives are seen, heard, and validated, both in India and across the world.