My name is Usha Sharma.
I have a Masters in Film and TV Art from the University of Westminster
and a Diploma in Producing from MetFilm school in Ealing.
Last year, I founded my own company, Usha Productions. It felt like a natural step, after developing several short films and a documentary.
I am now actively involved in filming and writing scripts on social issues that mainly focus on the Asian community.
Being a woman of colour in the film industry comes with its own set of barriers.
The underrepresentation within the industry is clear with an extremely small
percentage of Asian directors being women and an even smaller amount of South Asian women being directors.
percentage of Asian directors being women and an even smaller amount of South Asian women being directors.
This issue is further exacerbated by the fact that there is very little South Asian media out there for the younger generation and the role models for South Asian girls in Western Media are almost non-existent.
The hunger for what I do and my genuine want to make a difference have taken me so far, I’ve built a career for myself through hard work, patience and passion.
And now, I want to make more films to raise awareness and focus on social issues which normally go unnoticed and give a voice to those who have been silenced for far too long.
My hope is that seeing a woman of colour directing powerful media will inspire girls, especially within the South Asian community, to follow their own dreams and to understand that it’s not okay to be treated the way they have.
With Bafta Award Winner, Waad Al-Kataeb
Awards
Winner of the Asian Women of Achievement: Women Of Achievement Award in the section Arts And Culture- 2022