My name is Maliha Elma, and I am entering my third and final year this coming fall. I am majoring in Economics with a double minor in Political Science and Social Entrepreneurship. Since high school I was confident that I would like to pursue a career strictly related to Economics but starting college and being exposed to a plethora of new and interesting subjects has broadened my vision. I am still exploring my options and figuring out what I鈥檇 like to do once I graduate, but for now I have taken interest in doing a master鈥檚 degree in international relations/media and communication.
This summer I interned for the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (SAFFM) of the Kabir Centre for Arts and Culture. Working for SAFFM has given me a clear insight on how film festivals are operated and all the interesting aspects that go into organising a film festival. Kabir Centre for Arts and Culture is a non-profit organisation that showcases the rich South Asian culture and its vast talents to the curious people of Canada. Although it is a non-profit, it strays away from conventional forms of fundraising and operation. By showcasing the abundance of talent and richness of the South Asian community, it strives to assist the South Asian diaspora in Canada.
I had the honour to work with SAFFM this summer. My interest in learning about the South Asian community grew when I was much younger, living in London and being in a cultural hotpot. As a South Asian myself, I was curious about my culture and identity. This made me want to work in a career field that openly discusses the diaspora. To learn more about this rich heritage of South Asia in a foreign country, I had leaned on movies, and I had fallen in love with the art of storytelling. This compelled me to apply for SAFFM as it seemed like the perfect role for me and to no one鈥檚 surprise, I was proven right!
The month of November is an important time for SAFFM as the festival showcases the incredible work of filmmakers from different parts of South Asia and its neighbouring countries. The festival actively encourages young and talented filmmakers to submit films of various topics. Every year, SAFFM shows films of varying topics critical to the South Asian community. I can assure you that some of the movies will make you cry out of laughter, whilst others will give you a deep understanding of the complicated nature of the nations that make up South Asia and sometimes you can get a taste of both! In the end, through SAFFM, Kabir Centre tries to engage the South Asian diaspora with their culture and welcome any curious person to learn more about it, in the hopes of promoting harmony in this diaspora and bringing much deserved recognition to the community.
As the intern of SAFFM, my main duty was to communicate with film raters, directors, production companies and organise the film entries so that none of the films were left unrated. In addition, I oversaw its social media pages and came up with creative posters to engage interested audiences. Moreover, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to rate films and discuss my opinion on them with senior members of SAFFM. I was also responsible for taking notes during weekly team meetings and was especially welcome to give my own ideas and opinions.
All in all, I felt like a part of the SAFFM family. My supervisor treated me like her equal and paid attention to my needs and requirements. I did not feel overwhelmed or lost for even a second as the SAFFM team invited me with warmth and love. Furthermore, I was able to watch such beautiful films that have never been seen before and had the opportunity to communicate with film directors and filmmakers and work with such incredible talents closely. This opportunity piqued my interest in learning more about filmmaking and documentaries which I would like to explore further.
Doing the internship not only helped me gain invaluable experience but also was advantageous because I received academic credit for the internship. My minor- Social Entrepreneurship offers academic credit for internships related to Social Entrepreneurship and as Kabir Centre for Arts and Culture is a Non-profit organisation, it proved to be the perfect place to work in. This coming fall term, I will be writing a report on the things I learnt in the internship and will be supervised by the programme head, Professor Ollivier Dyens.
Doing this internship helped me in various ways, one being able to experience the 鈥渞eal world.鈥� Working as a full-time employee is vastly different than being a full-time student. As a student, I have been quite oblivious to the life after graduation and doing this internship helped me understand how to go about in a work environment. It helped me become more organised and independent. Most importantly, I feel much more confident in my capabilities and my fears of what happens after graduation has subsided significantly.
This internship offered by the Undergraduate Experiential Learning Award and the AIO has been an experience I will forever cherish. I am grateful to the donor who funded the Undergraduate Experiential Learning Award for making this possible. The SAFFM team has been lovely to me, and I will always be grateful for their patience and warmth. As this chapter comes to an end, I am excited to see what I have in store in the future.
