DIDIHOOD ~ Issue 89

Happy October, Didis! This is one of our favourite times of year, as we transition into fall and the festive season! Wishing you all a Happy Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas!

Meet the Didi

This month, we’re chatting with Sana Zahra Jafri, the Toronto-based, award-winning filmmaker whose new short film; Permanent Guest had its World Premiere at TIFF 2025 as part of the Short Cuts Programme 06.

Sana’s past credits include serving as co-producer and casting director on Cannes Jury Prize-winner Joyland and writing/producing Yasmeen’s Element. She is a Film Independent and Rotterdam Lab fellow, and is currently developing her debut feature.

What led you to becoming a filmmaker, was there a particular film or moment growing up that you decided this is what you wanted to do?

I always wanted to study film, but my parents were firmly against the idea of me entering the industry. So instead, I chose to pursue a Fine Arts degree with a focus on painting.

In my second year of college, I took up filmmaking as a minor, and from that point on, there was no turning back. As part of the course, I made a music video, and the feedback I received from the Film department was incredibly encouraging. My professors told me I had a strong voice and vision, and that I should pursue this path more seriously.

Filmmaking allowed me to bring together everything I loved and everything I knew. I had a background in theatre as an actor and director, and my training as a painter helped me understand composition and visual storytelling. Film became the medium through which I could express all of it- image, movement, performance, all in one space.

I started frequenting senior students’ sets to learn the ropes, and before long, I was being called from one shoot to the next. It’s been over a decade now, and I still feel most alive when I’m on set.

What has your experience been as a Pakistani woman working in this space?

As cliched as it might sound, it hasn’t been easy.

But those challenges have shaped who I am. This journey has taught me patience and persistence. I’ve learned that you’re not automatically given space, you have to believe you deserve it and then carve it out for yourself.

When I first started out as an assistant director, I was often one of only three women on a set of over 50 men. I wasn’t taken seriously at first. But over time, my work ethic spoke for itself. By the end of that first year, the same people who once dismissed me began to trust me. They saw how much effort I put in, and they respected the compassion I extended to my crew. That trust was earned, not given, and it made the victories that followed all the more meaningful.

 Your film Permanent Guest made its world premiere at TIFF! Tell us about it and why you wanted to tell this particular story?

I’ve long wanted to tell a story about survivors who continue to carry the weight of their trauma, long after the abuse has ended.

The physical violence may stop, but the shame, rage, and pain can linger for a lifetime. So often, survivors are forced to share space with their abusers, pretending everything is fine because the status quo demands silence. It pressures women to remain quiet, to avoid causing disruption, and to keep feeding a patriarchal system that was never designed to protect them.

I didn’t make this film to elicit sympathy. I made it to show that abuse isn’t just an event. Trauma becomes a permanent guest in the lives of survivors. It returns in unexpected ways, and it never fully leaves.

This film is about making space for that truth and refusing to stay silent. 

The film was entirely crowd-funded, what did that entail and do you think it ended up shaping how the film was made?

There are no real funding bodies for independent voices in Pakistan, so I knew I had to take an unconventional route. With the support of my producer, Qasim Abbas, I took a leap of faith and decided to crowdfund the film not knowing whether we’d succeed or fall short.

We approached the process with hope and intention. We scouted locations, locked in our cast and crew, and created a detailed plan for our Kickstarter campaign. A huge wave of support came from both Pakistan and the diaspora  including two incredibly generous creatives, Jaber Hussain and Meher Tareen, who not only contributed to the Kickstarter but also funded our post-production with additional resources. They believed deeply in the story and were just as passionate about sharing it with the world.

We surpassed our fundraising goal with three days to spare. The messages of support I received during that time deeply humbled me. It made me feel even more responsible to honor this story  because so many people placed their trust in me and this film.

I’ll always be grateful to the 60 individuals who contributed to bringing this story to life.

What do you hope people take away from this film?

Permanent Guest is a quiet confrontation between two generations: the elders who have normalized silence, and the younger women who carry the weight of that silence quietly, but with growing resistance. Through this film, I wanted to explore the long, often invisible shadow that childhood sexual abuse casts within South Asian homes. It's about the trauma itself, but also the culture of denial that surrounds it and how that silence shapes, isolates, and hardens survivors over time. This story is deeply personal, but unfortunately, not uncommon. My hope is that Permanent Guest offers a small crack in the silence, and through that, a space for acknowledgement, discomfort, and maybe even healing.

What advice would you have for any Didis who want to do what you're doing?

Dear Didis, tell your story the way you want to tell it. Period.

There’s no right or wrong way to express yourself  and many people will try to convince you that what you’re doing isn’t good enough. Don’t let their words define your truth. Only you get to determine your worth in a world designed to make you feel like you’ll never be enough.

Let go of shame. Unlearn everything patriarchy has taught you to believe. Give yourself grace. Don’t be afraid to start small, to make mistakes, or to experiment. You may not succeed overnight, but every time you stay true to yourself while telling a story, you’ll find fulfillment in the process.

Remember, filmmaking is always a team effort. Treat your crew with respect and compassion, and they’ll show up for you in ways you can’t imagine. Talent means little without hard work, curiosity, and constant evolution. Your character and integrity will take you further than shortcuts ever will.

What we’re reading:

Upcoming Events:

Have you been wanting to try acting but not sure where to start? Check out our upcoming online workshop with actor Rahat Saini on October 25th!

— Roohi Sahajpal
Issue 89
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