Nilufer
“I’ve learned from my parents to give people my full attention. Nurture relationships. Talk to people when you meet them on the street. Take the time to listen and connect. When they’re in front of you, make people feel like they’re all that matters in that moment. The accumulation of these moments is what makes us rich.”
Nilufer is an independent filmmaker and co-founded the production company Snow Angel Films with her sister Saira. Nilufer told me, “sometimes I make money from my work, sometimes I don’t. I follow my heart and hope it leads to good things.” She has co-created several documentary and short films including “Prairie Mosque,” “Arctic Mosque,” and is currently producing a documentary film titled “The Year We Fasted Alone” (which you can participate in before the end of May!) When I asked her what her proudest accomplishment is, she told me, “perhaps it’s still a work in progress. All I can say is that regarding my films, I make what I love and I love what I make. I feel pride and joy watching my own films because of the people in them. They have all inspired me and enriched my life immensely.” This photo is captured behind her family home. She told me, “This place uplifts my soul and keeps me grounded. Every year I see the river rise and flood the bank. Then in the spring the waters recede and the trees and grasses slowly emerge and come alive. The deer and groundhogs, beavers, duck, geese, squirrels and birds of all kinds busy themselves with the work of living. I am humbled by their resilience and quiet diligence. This is my favourite place.” She continued to tell me how much she loves “sharing this space with family and friends and filling it with warmth… I cherish time with family, sitting around the kitchen table, talking over tea and treats or “cha ta” as we say in Bengali.” It became clear from our conversation how important family is to Nilufer, and how important her family is to the community at large. She told me, “My parents have always been well loved because for years they worked selflessly for the community. They’ve always treated people with compassion and now we as their children are reaping the benefits of that. I try to walk in their footsteps but they are a hard act to follow! Personally however, I have many dear friends and supporters in both the Muslim and greater community who value my work. I feel like when I have something to say, people will listen. And that’s a huge blessing.” When I asked Nilufer what the most challenging moment in her life has been she told me, “I’ve never felt a pain so deep as when my dad passed away just over two years ago. It was as though the earth crumbled beneath my feet. He had always made me feel like I was capable of anything because I was a woman, not in spite of it. He offered advice but still supported my decisions. He listened to me. He reassured me when I was down or confused. He fed me with his own hands. He taught me to depend on Allah fully and that has brought me so much peace.”
Q&A Feature:
What is most important to you and why?
“Family and friends who support me and lift me up. When my self-esteem is on the low, the cheerleaders in my life mean a lot to me.”
What is a fun fact about you that you haven’t told me yet?
“I got my blackbelt in Tae Kwan Do when I was 14 years old after taking lessons in the basement of our little mosque for over two years. Feels like a lifetime ago!”
Nilufer with her sister and collaborator, Saira.
