Sonia Nassery Cole: Afghan Refugee Turned Award-Winning Filmmaker and Human Rights Activist

We had the incredible pleasure of sitting down with Sonia Nassery Cole, an Afghan American author, filmmaker, humanitarian, and activist who founded the Afghanistan World Foundation and directed film, “I AM YOU” (2019). “I AM YOU” is an independent feature film based on the stories of the world’s many refugees, their love for people and life, and the conditions that precipitated their extraordinarily heroic journeys. We get the chance to hear Sonia laugh and cry as she reflects upon the pivotal experiences that have put her on the path to touch so many lives through her activism and creative works. We move on to the childhood experiences that shaped who she is and the absolutely necessary traits to have as a filmmaker. Sonia also shares with us how she manages to pull out the most excellent emotional performances from her actors, and the KEY difference between an Oscar-winning performance and a failure. Next, we get into Sonia's incredible story of writing a nine-page letter to President Ronald Reagan at just 17 years old and the world-changing events that followed. Finally, we talk about her experience and challenges, especially as a woman, directing and filming in the war-zone of Afghanistan as well as what the film is about.

Memorable Quotes

Making a good film

• "I want to make films about something I know about. I don't think people should make films or tell stories or write books about something they don't know. You have to know, what is your passion? What excites you? What makes you cry? What makes you feel? If I feel all those things, I promise you, I'm going to make you feel it."
• "The camera is a very sensitive instrument. You don't have to say a word. I look at your eyes through my lens and I can tell if you're lying to me or if you're really feeling something, and that's what makes the difference between a good movie and a bad movie - an Oscar-winning performance or a failure."

Resources & Links

You can see more of Baktash Ahadi's work here.

Follow Baktash Ahadi on Instagram here.

Keep updated on the latest episodes of "Stories of Transformation” here.

Want to connect with Sonia? Find her below:

• To follow Sonia Nassery Cole, find her on Instagram.
• To keep updated on her film, I AM YOU, follow on Instagram or visit the website.

Podcast Produced by Dana Drahos: http://danadrahos.com/