A FILM BY AKANKSHA CRUCZYNSKI

Short Film | United States | 2021 |14 min | Color | English, Hindi | 2.35 : 1

SYNOPSIS

Millennial immigrant Akanksha waits for her sister’s visit from India (they haven’t seen each other in nine years!). Meanwhile, she’s dog sitting the fancy Frenchie of Instagram influencers India and Harry, who themselves are on a trip to India’s namesake.

CAST

Akanksha Cruczynski, Bisou, Cassie Kramer, Simon Hedger, Sophia Rafiqi, Aishwarya Chawla

CREW

DIRECTOR: Akanksha Cruczynski
PRODUCER: Felicia Ferrara
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Luke Dyra
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Amy Tompkins
MUSIC: Brandon Stanley

DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY

Akanksha Cruczynski* is a writer and filmmaker based in New York City. Originally from India and having grown up in Saudi Arabia, Akanksha moved to the States in 2008, getting a BA in Physics and Creative Writing from DePauw University and an MFA in Cinema Directing from Columbia College Chicago. She trained in improvisation and sketch comedy at The Second City, iO Chicago and Annoyance Theater Chicago. Close Ties to Home Country, her graduate thesis film, is an Official Selection at the Sundance Film Festival 2022. Additionally, it won the 2021 Student Academy Award, was on the shortlist for the 2021 BAFTA, won a $10,000 grant from The Gotham (formerly IFP) and was honored at the 2021 Gotham Awards. The short has played at Telluride Film Festival and won awards at other Oscar-qualifiers such as Chicago International Film Festival, Aspen Shortsfest, and New Orleans International Film Festival, among many others. Akanksha is passionate about telling stories from underserved communities and using humor to make them accessible.
*Polish? No. When her parents divorced, 14-year-old angsty teen Akanksha changed her last name to her favorite character's—Clementine Kruczynski in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." She did not know it was a Polish name or that that mattered.