A Conversation with Filmmaker Mira Nair


	The Proper Introduction	4:33
	The Fuel of My First Excitement	6:36
	The Extraordinariness of Everyday Life	16:08
	How to Make Something Out of Nothing	8:50
	I Learned How to Be a Horsetrader	7:22
	If We Don't Tell Our Own Stories, Nobody Else Will	5:51
	Audience Question & Answer: Part One	12:04
	Audience Question & Answer: Part Two	8:47

	Audience Question & Answer: Part One
	<b>Question #1:</b> Can you talk about what the Visual and Environmental Studies department (VES) was like when you were at Harvard? I'm a student at VES now.<br> <br> <b>Question #2:</b> You talked about this idea in <i>India Cabaret</i>…aout what separates good women from bad women and the notion of sexuality…. I've had conversations with people that swimsuit calendars, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears exploiting their sexuality is a sign of liberation or of women advancing. How do you feel about that?<br> <br> <b>Question #3:</b> My question is about <i>Salaam Bombay!</i>. I saw clips of it and I noticed that some of the subtitles didn't do justice to the Hindi language, the Hindi that was spoken, thereby giving the English meaning a different dimension altogether. Was this intended?<br> <br> <b>Question #4:</b> In recent years there have been some very interesting Indian movies coming out, movies around Indian characters. Within mainstream U.S. moviemaking, how do you see the Indian diaspora or Indians from India having an impact on general moviemaking in the U.S.? There have been some notable exceptions of Indian filmmakers who have contributed to the U.S. movie industry. Do you see it expanding? What's the trend?<br> <br> <b>Question #5:</b> I'm a freshman at the College. I'm from Lahore, Pakistan. I've been following your films; you're a great inspiration. I must confess that I've been even more obsessed with the soundtracks of your films. I noticed a few reoccurring themes…. Any Pakistani who has seen <i>Monsoon Wedding</i>, be it a commissioner, or a servant girl, or a child has said the same thing, "Hold on! This is my story. This is about my family. I speak the same language…my weddings are like this." It has outdone every single film that has been produced in Pakistan over the last two years…. You've been celebrated as a "cross over" artist, someone bridging the gap between the West and the East through entertainment. How about starting this process of crossing over at home where we speak the same language and have the same motives.… You were talking about starting the workshop for students from India. How about making a small place for a Pakistani, or Bangladeshi, or Sri Lankan student?<br> <br> <br> <br>