Filmmakers Making A Social Impact: Why & How Filmmaker Amber Akhtar of Break The Cycle Is Helping To Change Our World
Find your unique voice and don’t try to copy something someone else did. When into screenwriting, I tried to dialogue like Aaron Sorkin. It was terrible. I later found that myself writing scripts with mostly visuals and very little dialogue, and it was good. It’s because I’m a visual thinker, and I let that part of me drive my writing rather than trying to mimic something else..
As a part of our series about “Filmmakers Making A Social Impact” I had the pleasure of interviewing Amber Akhtar.
Amber Akhtar is a filmmaker who grew up in Michigan. She just finished up her BFA in Dramatic Writing with a minor in Producing at NYU Tisch. During her time at NYU, she wrote two features, many short films, and worked on a thesis film selected for Tribeca 2022. She has interned for companies such as The Gotham Film and TV, Cinetic Media, and The Producers Guild. Currently, she is executive producing a short film that she wrote about a young girl struggling to wash out a blood stain after an abortion.
Thank you so much for doing this interview with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit. Can you share your “backstory” that brought you to this career?
I come from a family of storytellers. My aunt’s paintings have been featured in exhibitions all around Pakistan. My sister has worked as a journalist for reputable companies. My brother works Even my oncologist father finds time in his busy schedule to express himself through art. He instilled creativity and ambition in me at a very young age, encouraging me to paint with him and to dream big. My interest in art led me to discover filmmaking in high school. I went to Detroit Country Day and worked very closely with Brett Salamin to make student films and compete in the Detroit 48 hour film festival. Something shifted in my senior year when I witnessed my mentor lose his son in a tragic train accident. I led my high school’s film community when Mr. Salamin had to take a step back. I grew into my own as a leader and solidified my passion for filmmaking. Art has shaped me into who I am and how I carry myself.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
One summer, a bunch of my friends and I set out to produce a forty-page script in four days. We would call locations the day we scheduled to film, and somehow got it all done. However, the project was shortly scrapped after we lost the footage. I learned how important organization and preparation is in anything you set out to do. Taking the time to plan things out will make the result that much better.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I grew up in the Michigan cancer community and they are some of the strongest people I know. Patients, families, and physicians have so much resilience to face a disease as unpredictable as cancer.
Which people in history inspire you the most? Why?
Richard Linklater and Kevin Smith are my two biggest inspirations because they didn’t let their lack of resources stop them from sharing their voice. Their early films are so raw; you can feel their hunger to get their art out in the world. I always try to emulate their determination in creating art, reminding myself that even when the odds are against me, I can find a way.
Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview, how are you using your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting social impact causes you are working on right now?
Telling female driven stories is very important to me. I think we need more media that makes women feel seen and heard authentically. In the past, women in cinema have been portrayed as being perfect or ideal. It’s not honest. Women face hardship. Women breakdown. Women conquer. Let’s see all the complexities behind what women experience. Championing women filmmakers and films about women has become my mission as an artist.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and take action for this cause? What was that final trigger?
During college I wrote a short film a young girl who spends the night in a laundromat, struggling to wash out a stain of blood after an abortion. When I heard how the script resonated with my professor and classmates, I knew I had to try and produce it. Cycle touches on issues of reproductive rights, sexual assault, generational trauma, and substance abuse. Centering around abortion, the short explores the shame of such a stigmatized topic and the struggle for women to be seen and heard authentically. I hope it serves as a reminder that it’s okay to ask for help, and women are not alone at their most vulnerable moments. It’s a lesson I am still learning myself and intend to put into practice for the rest of my life.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
I attended a womens healing retreat and shared my film as part of the program. Lena Love, the head of the retreat, opened to me about her experience going through an abortion. She shared with me that she sat down to paint about her abortion, and it ended up being a self-portrait. She said that her trauma shaped her into who she is today and led her to want to help other women overcome their pain. It meant a lot that my film connected with her and brought back all the emotions she felt during that difficult time.
Are there three things that individuals, society or the government can do to support you in this effort?
Please visit break-the-cycle.com and out @cyclefilm2023 on Instagram to learn more about the project. Make the effort to support female artists and watch movies by women filmmakers.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
Find your unique voice and don’t try to copy something someone else did. When into screenwriting, I tried to dialogue like Aaron Sorkin. It was terrible. I later found that myself writing scripts with mostly visuals and very little dialogue, and it was good. It’s because I’m a visual thinker, and I let that part of me drive my writing rather than trying to mimic something else.
To better yourself and what you do, you need to be critical. Find the people who are going to give you honest feedback and stick with them. I have people in my life who I know won’t be afraid to challenge or disagree with me because they want me to succeed.
Breathe. We all get nervous. Taking deep breaths reminds you that you’re in your body and you have the power to do anything.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?
Finding a cause your passionate about will give you purpose and direction in your life. In the moments where I feel lost, I remind myself of my artist mission statement. Big life decisions become easier because I feel I have a compass to help me navigate the path I want to go down and how it will bring me closer to achieve my goals.
We are very blessed that many other Social Impact Heroes read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would like to collaborate with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂
Collaborating with Sophia Coppola is a big dream of mine. Her art embodies everything I hope to achieve, particularly her first short film, Lick The Star. I even have a tattoo of an image from the movie!
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Brett was a strong young man with a huge heart who loved his family, friends, and football. Throughout his life, Brett exemplified 4 rules:
#1 — Look for the best in others.
#2 — Protect those who need it.
#3 — Be thoughtful and careful when making decisions.
And when you’ve followed #1, #2, and #3, then…
#4 — Live life like there is no tomorrow.
How can our readers follow you online?
@amberakhtar01 on Instagram!
This was great, thank you so much for sharing your story and doing this with us. We wish you continued success!
Filmmakers Making A Social Impact: Why & How Filmmaker Amber Akhtar of Break The Cycle Is Helping… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.