M. Rather

Mehvish is a documentary filmmaker and has a doctorate in documentary filmmaking from Queens University. Her films have been showcased in different film festivals across the globe and won awards. Some of the avenues where her work has been featured are Santa Barbara International Film Festival, IAWRT Asian Women’s film festival, Dharamshala International Film Festival, Film Southasia, Mosquers film festival, Film for Peace, Small File Media Festival, Visible Evidence Conference Melbourne, etc. 

She continues to question the methodology and ethics in her field. Her particular interest concerns with the representation of subjects in documentaries based in protracted political conflict zones, trying to envision them beyond the scope of victimhood. She questions the patterns of absences within such documentaries, such as that of humour and transcendentality. Her research is a combination of critique of existing documentary work in and about Kashmir as well as an exploration of alternative and experimental modes for responsible representation of documentary subjects. 

Currently her work is focusing on the impact of digital surveillance on communication channels at interpersonal and community levels – and the viability of old media technology in circumventing the issues. Mehvish works at Queens University and is in the process of producing another documentary project.