Book Tickets
A daughter reflects on her South Asian father’s life, his never-ending pursuit of the American dream, and the human capacity to love and survive.
As a young boy, Shantha Murthy ran away from home to escape the extreme poverty of his Indian village. He travelled the country in search of work, holding onto the belief that one day his life would change. It did, following a serendipitous encounter with a Texan couple. He travelled back to the US with them, but his American Dream was not to be fulfilled. Karla Murthy’s film weaves together home videos and phone conversations recorded during her father’s stint as a gas station attendant, while also reflecting on her own identity as a first-generation American. What emerges is an intimate love letter – a meditation on a complicated father-daughter relationship and a poignant tribute to the immigrant working class.
As a young boy, Shantha Murthy ran away from home to escape the extreme poverty of his Indian village. He travelled the country in search of work, holding onto the belief that one day his life would change. It did, following a serendipitous encounter with a Texan couple. He travelled back to the US with them, but his American Dream was not to be fulfilled. Karla Murthy’s film weaves together home videos and phone conversations recorded during her father’s stint as a gas station attendant, while also reflecting on her own identity as a first-generation American. What emerges is an intimate love letter – a meditation on a complicated father-daughter relationship and a poignant tribute to the immigrant working class.
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Competitions
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Topics
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Premiere statusWorld premiere
Film details
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Director(s)Karla Murthy
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Country(s)USA
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Year2025
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Duration88 mins
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Producer(s)Karla Murthy / Greene Fort Productions, Rajal Pitroda
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CinematographyKarla Murthy, Andrew Fredericks, Raúl O. Paz-Pastrana, Andy Sarjahani
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EditingKarla Murthy
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SoundJeremy Bloom, Karla Murthy
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Language(s)English
