Oscar nominee Nazrin Choudhury is proud of her Bangladeshi roots

The 96th Academy Awards has recently announced this year’s nominees for the Best Live Action Short Film. The entire crew of ‘Red, White and Blue’ waited in anticipation to hear their film’s name. When it finally happened, Nazrin Choudhury, the film’s director, was overwhelmed with emotion. She, along with her daughters, burst into tears. She thanked everyone who supported her, and the very next day, Bangladeshi newspapers prominently featured headlines about Nazrin Choudhury, the Bangladeshi-origin British-American screenwriter, who secured her first Oscar nomination with her directorial debut film.

Although she was born and raised in London, the curious old me wanted to know whether she felt a strong connection with her Bangladeshi roots and what made her choose “Red, White and Blue” as her first maiden venture. I searched her up on social media and decided to converse with the talented director who exclusively gave us an up-close and personal view of her dreams and aspirations.

“I am so thrilled that we told a story that we care about so passionately and really believe in. I feel honoured that the Academy chose to recognise us with an Oscar nomination. I have an intersection of identities that encompasses my Bangladeshi, British, and American heritage. Bangladesh holds a special place in my heart because it’s where my parents were born. I spent a significant amount of time in Bangladesh while growing up, even though I was born and brought up in London. I speak the language fluently and I still have many relatives there. Even amidst the joyful shock and tears that came when I learned the news, I knew the Bangladeshi people would be so proud and overjoyed on my behalf. So, when I saw an outpouring of congratulations almost immediately from all four corners of the country, it truly filled my heart with joy to know that this achievement felt like their achievement,” said the director.

Nazrin Choudhury’s short film chronicles the life of Rachel (Brittany Snow), a single parent confronting the challenges of living paycheck to paycheck while dealing with childcare issues. When an unexpected pregnancy jeopardises her already precarious position, Rachel is compelled to hit the road with her young daughter, embarking on both a literal and metaphorical journey.

“I penned the story of ‘Red, White and Blue’ in the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning the landmark decision in the Roe v Wade case, which had protected our reproductive rights in America for almost 50 years. My daughters, Iman and Alyssa, were the first to hear the story and read the script. It’s an important issue that affects all of us, but it will affect them for a much longer period. I felt I owed it to them to use the power of storytelling to examine the repercussions for them and so many Americans who are being denied their bodily autonomy through a very characterful and humane story,” said the screenwriter.

Nazrin also revealed the significant role her daughters played in the making of the film. She shared, “My daughters actually sing in the film. There is a song playing on the car radio during the road trip scene — it’s their vocals on the song that Brittany Snow and Juliet Donenfeld are singing along to and, if you’re extremely observant, you’ll also spot them in the carousel scene. The days they were on set were incredibly meaningful to me because they observed me leading our entire cast and crew to narrate this story. I hope they could draw inspiration from it that one can do anything if they set their mind to it.”

“There are countless memorable moments about the film that I will always cherish. However, most importantly, the cast and crew became a family and many of us have remained close to one another ever since. I like to think the Bangladeshi spirit of warmth and hospitality that is in our DNA is what I brought to the set that helped foster some of these special bonds that continue to this day.”

Nazrin takes pride in her upbringing within an immigrant family abroad. “When I was five years old, we relocated to Bangladesh for a year, and I even attended school there before returning to the UK. However, I continued to make frequent visits to Bangladesh during the summer holidays. I maintain a strong connection to my Bengali culture, even as I am shaped by my experiences in the UK and the US. This has resulted in a melting pot of cultures, which extends to my daughters. I look forward to bringing them to Bangladesh soon for a visit.”

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