You Follow

A search for one's past

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synopsis

YOU FOLLOW chronicles the experiences of an adoptee with a mind full of questions and a heart full of determination. In 2009, Nisha Grayson packs her bags, with four of her closest friends set out on a journey from her home of Sacramento, CA to her birthplace in Goa India. This heartfelt saga brings Nisha to find the answers to these questions: Who is Nisha’s birth mother, and will she ever meet her?

When steps in the right direction lead to forks in the road, when loyalty and commitment come from unlikely strangers - Nisha faces an emotional series of unexpected challenges that test her character.

This story is an introspection through Nisha's inspiring commitment to pursuing truth, and the adventure that comes along with it. YOU FOLLOW is a compelling story about resilience, family and identity.

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crew

DIRECTOR

PRODUCER

POST SUPERVISOR / MOTION GRAPHICS

EDITOR

ASSISTANT EDITORS

ASSISTANT EDITOR / COLOR

FINISHING EDITOR

FINISHING COLOR

GFX ADVISOR

2ND UNIT LOS ANGELES FILMING

2ND UNIT INDIA PRODUCER

INDIA CAMERA CREW

INDIA TRANSCRIBERS

SUBTITLES

POST AUDIO SUPERVISOR

MUSIC SUPERVISOR

COMPOSER

MUSIC ADVISOR

FINAL AUDIO MIX

STILL PHOTOGRAPHER

SOCIAL MEDIA / MARKETING

MARKETING

SOCIAL MEDIA / MARKETING ASSISTANT

POSTER ART

Sharmila Ray

Brad Lavery

Nisha Grayson

Bob Salzano

Sharmila Ray

Josh Dion / Alex Robertson

Andrew Cohen

Ryan Casebolt

Joel Ides

Jennifer Van Horn

Zac & Lucas Eubank

Syed Parvez

Sharmila Ray, Nisha Grayson, Reena Ray & Hitesh Khalashi

Girish Parab & Munna Shalkin

David Addison

Noah Adams

Todd Dalhoff

Luke Janela

Vanessa Gonzales

Alex Niedt

Adrienne Garcia

Rinny Perkins

Ben Kemp

Reena Ray

Dawn Chenette

Director's Statement

I felt compelled to film an adoption adventure because it is truly like searching for a needle in a haystack when you don't know who or where your parents come from. I think that it is important for adoptees to search for their heritage and to reconnect with their past. I understand that the journey can be rough and painful, but I think that it can assist with the healing process. When a person makes an attempt for a reunion, it can give a small sense of understanding even if it is not expected or welcomed. The point is to try. We only have one life to look for the answers.

I wanted to gather the stories of people involved in the adoption process from the beginning to the end; the selection process for adoptive parents to adoptees that have reunited with their birth parents. Each unique story brought attention to the layers of people that are involved in adoption. Most of the time we see it from the adoptive parents perspective, and that adoptees should feel grateful, but that is not always the case. Adoptees have a lot of questions about their background especially when paired cross culturally. With this piece I wanted to juxtapose Nisha’s exploration of the Indian culture since being raised as a California girl.

It was also important to me to produce a project that examined the various elements of adoption within India and to explore the cultural differences domestically and abroad. In the US, there is a constant struggle for equality between the sexes and a fight for equal pay, while women in India still struggle to be socially accepted for the choices they make in regards to their own bodies. It’s so severe, that suicide is considered an option for an unwanted pregnancy. Being an American myself, I’ve come to see that we, as a first world society, complain about not having enough options, but in fact we do. We don’t see how fortunate we really are with the amount of resources and social support that is available; whereas in other parts of the world, this does not exist.

At times it felt like we were in a Choose Your Own Adventure book; putting faith in selecting the correct page to turn to in order for the journey to continue. I never knew if Nisha was going to give up or keep traveling the unknown path. I was fortunate to have an organic story unfold before me because Nisha was always open and honest. As a friend, I wanted to be there emotionally and encourage Nisha, but as a filmmaker I did not want to influence her just for the sake of drama.

This film is my first attempt in filmmaking, so I wanted to immerse myself in it. I put myself behind the camera and in front of the computer to edit five years worth of footage. I pounded the pavement to raise funds and to learn about distribution; from concept to completion I stayed committed. I am truly proud of the outcome and the lessons that I have learned in the process.

A pot of gold is never found at the end of a rainbow, but the adventure to look for the gold is the real attraction.

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Awards/Press

2015 India International Film Festival

2014 La Femme International Film Festival

INDIEWIRE

GOOD DAY SACRAMENTO

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SCREEN INVASION.COM

SLANT EYE FOR THE ROUND EYE

LIVE MINT

SUBMERGE MAGAZINE

Children's Home Society of Minnesota

LAND OF GAZILLION ADOPTEES PODCAST

DECCAN HeRALD

AAINA 2015

SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN FOCUS

THE SACRAMENTO BEE

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VIDEOS

TRAILER #1

SUMMARY Nisha was adopted from Goa, India and has always wondered about her heritage and background... Sometimes it's not all about the journey, but the people you meet along the way. In 2009 she decided to venture off to India in search for her birth mother. With the help of her four friends, they searched throughout Goa to find clues to the origin of her roots.