Sneha Mendes on Progressiveness in the Film Industry and Collaborating with RASA on Short Film ‘Seen’
There are some people who walk this planet spreading the seeds of change. For those people, life is about pushing the status quo, and looking to make the world a better place. Buoyed by the influence of her spirited mother, producer Sneha Mendes is one of these individuals.
For Mendes, being progressive is inherent in her pursuit of her passion for filmmaking. Born and raised in India, she watched her mother bravely raise her on her own, fighting against the system set up for the success of men. It was this passion that imbued in Mendes herself, the tenacity to pursue her own dreams in New York City.
“The greatest gift she gave me was teaching me the importance of being true to myself, unapologetically,” she says, giving credit to her mother for her clear vision. Such vision is of the utmost importance when making a film and for Mendes part of being true to herself she believes is “continuing to fight to become half the woman that my mother is.”
With this in mind, Mendes has tackled the film industry head on. Not just through her work, but also through her attention to creating teams centered around a diversity of both people and ideas. Her vision is simple, “Hire more people, from different backgrounds, so we are able to get more voices in the room, which in turn gives more perspectives in art.”
This vision has led her to work with RASA Film Group, a group who is focused on strong female and Muslim voices. Mendes worked on upcoming film “Seen” which was written and directed by Dhwani Shah, someone whose work Mendes greatly admires. “Dhwani Shah is the best in her field,” she fawns, pointing to her many awards and recognition, saying “it’s no surprise she did such a great job of creating a real character in Noori (played by Kausar Mohanmmad to perfection) – it was exactly the right step to start for South Asian representation.”
In a field that for many years was run by white males, RASA looks to change the game by highlighting the stories of those like Mendes and her mother. This was a breath of fresh air for the producer who always struggled with feeling like an outsider. “Most conversations I have around what my life was like in India, and what my industry was like are framed like I am some exotic creature,” she says. But her time working with RASA was different, there was a focus on creating a team where everyone felt included. “I like that RASA’s projects start conversations the right way, so I think that they were a great fit for me,” says Mendes reflecting on her time working on ‘Seen.’ She was critical in pushing for the hiring of several other south-asian and BIPOC crew members, as she felt that what was reflected on screen must be embodied in the crew too. “If we are to make an authentic film, we must start with on-set representation” she says.
Her collaboration with RASA is just the latest in a long line of efforts to progress the film industry. Her focus has always been to, “hire diversely, I have been saying this for years!” This attention to diversity is not done for the sake of it, but rather to have access to different perspectives and frames of thought. Her sets are filled with ideas, some good and some bad, but most importantly she promotes people to, “speak their mind and bring their ideas to the table.”
This ethos of equity and equality has been essential to her success. Mendes is wary of continuing to work with the same group of people, noting that no matter how diverse the group is, gatekeeping is the antithesis of progression. “If we don’t make conscious efforts to incorporate different voices from all walks of life, then we are also the ones responsible for leaving them out.”
Her ultimate goal is to be “someone who can create positive spaces, I want to be able to bring in more voices like myself so the film becomes more global.” Mendes’ experience on set with ‘Seen’ has only further enforced this idea, as she was inspired by RASA’s dedication to changing the narrative.
The producer hopes to use her newfound inspiration to eventually create her own film groups and initiatives. For now she is content with, “learning how to make my sets better, and also learning how to start better conversations about diversity.” This approach has led to her to achieve a level of success she had only dreamed about in the pursuit of her filmmaking career.
It’s of no real surprise that Sneha Mendes has taken up the fight for equality and diversity. With mentors like her mother and Dhwani Shah, the burgeoning film producer has been inspired by truly great people. She believes it is her calling to continue on in the footsteps of those before her, becoming the flag bearer for equal rights and opportunities.
Luckily for Mendes she is not alone, having built a strong professional support group she can always call on the backing of her inspirational mother. She feels this everydays and sums up her efforts, when she says: “If my mother can do it alone, I can definitely do it with her by my side.”
Follow Sneha Mendes on IMDB and check out her website snehamendes.com.
