British Indian actress Simmie Sangian was declared the winner of the ‘Best Actress: Bronze Award’ at the LA Shorts Awards for the socially educative movie, “honors” based on forced marriages in India. This is just one of the many recognitions that the 21-year-old has received for her short film, “Honor,” which she wrote, produced and stars in.
Honor is a short film that I wrote, and starred in. It was a very unique experience. When writing this short, I knew I wanted to educate through my film. I wanted to raise awareness. Forced marriage is something I am very passionate about. I feel that it is something that we should shed light upon as it is not talked about enough in first world countries. Many victims are those living in places such as the USA & UK, and they suffer in silence because they feel they have no way out.
When writing the script, I knew I wanted to talk about something relevant in today’s society. I think it’s very important for artists to raise awareness on things that audiences might not be aware of, or should be educated on.
Honor is about Serena, a seventeen year-old gay, British-Indian girl who is in a relationship with a woman. She is forced into an arranged marriage by her parents. Once she finds a way to seek help, she finds herself stuck between honoring her parents wishes and staying true to herself.“This kind of story is something that we should shed light upon as it is not talked about enough. Many victims suffer in silence because they feel they have no way out,’ Sangian said.
The film, which was supported by girlsnotbrides.org, is garnering good reviews on the festival circuit. The film, directed by Morgan Aiken and Indian American Kankana Chakraborty, has been recognized at the Top Shorts Film Festival, Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards, and the New York Film Awards, among others.
Born and raised in Birmingham, U.K., Sangian found a passion for the arts at a very young age. In high school, she was part of the drama and dance department, acting in plays, and the choreographer of her own dance troupe.
At 18, she moved to Los Angeles, and received her BFA in acting for film and TV at the New York Film Academy, a place, she writes on her official page, “helped her not only develop her acting skills but find a love for directing.”