A big thank you to Francesca Di Paolo for taking the time to answer some questions about Homi Homi is featured in the Next Gen Shorts section of the Melbourne Women in Film Festival.
- What is the name of your film? What is it about?
“Homi” is a short documentary focusing on Afghan refugee, Homaira Mershedi, as she takes us through her day managing her family’s restaurant in Fitzroy, shopping for fresh veggies and running AADO, an NGO helping women and girls in Afghanistan through schooling and training.
- What was the most challenging thing that you shot for your film?
The most challenging thing we shot was definitely the Friday night service. The restaurant was hectic and, as hospitality workers, we felt the rush and the chaos of Homi going from table to table to ensure that everyone was having the perfect evening. We tried not to disturb the balance she was creating while also trying to capture the perfect shots of the food, the people and, of course, of our star.
- Is this your first film? Where might have people seen your work before?
Homi is my first documentary, but my first screen project was a short titled “Mother(land): A Poem About Immigration, which was screened at the TopArts exhibit in 2021. The short featured a slam poem I had written and a small montage of myself and my memories travelling to Italy to see my family after 7 years of migrating to Australia. It still holds a special place in my heart as it was my first project to get recognition from a gallery, and the most personal project I’ve done, paving the way for my future work to focus on immigration and belonging.
- What was the inspiration for your film?
The visual aspect of the film was inspired by junk journal culture and collages, with the animations being done by myself, half physically and half digitally. The film began with myself and the DOP, Mercedes Martinez Lestard, having dinner at Homi’s restaurant and being absolutely blown away by her bubbly personality and her caring nature. Homi explained the history of the establishment and as immigrants, Mercedes and myself felt like there was a story that needed to be told.
- Do you have any tips for aspiring filmmakers?
There will always be people that are doing more than you, people that grew up with more money or that grew up in the industry and that know more. The most important thing is your hunger, your passion for the work. Do everything you can and tell the stories you want to tell, if you’re happy with your work, the audience will see it.