Help fund a NYU thesis South Asian WLW mother-daughter dramatic short film, Small World — a deeply personal story about the cultural pressures, generational trauma, and the fight to break free from outdated expectations—especially around sexuality.

The story follows Raya, a desi woman, on her way to reconnect with her cheating ex, when her overbearing mother is following her to pull her away from her bisexuality due to cultural guilt.

Growing up in a South Asian household while navigating Western American culture often means living in two worlds at once. The pressure to be “a certain way,” the silent weight of tradition, and the fear of disappointing your family can shape your entire sense of self. At its core, the daughter is trying to hold onto her identity, while a mother believes sacrificing it is the only way to survive.

There is this theme of identity vs. obligation in South Asian households, and probably for many other immigrant households, and this cycle of pressure to follow a certain mentality to please family members or outdated traditions - I've seen this in interracial relationships, inter-religious marriages, but I haven't seen this being talked about in terms of sexuality in the Western Indian perspective.

This project matters because it represents stories that have been overlooked, misrepresented, or ignored. For many of us, this tension isn’t just cultural — it’s emotional, generational, and universal. By supporting this film, you’re helping bring an authentic South Asian story to the screen with the nuance it deserves.

Your contribution will go directly toward equipment, production design, locations, casting, and post-production — everything needed to bring this story to life at a professional level.

Thank you for believing in diverse storytelling. And thank you for helping me make a film that so many young South Asian people (and children of immigrants everywhere) will finally be able to see themselves in.

If you have any questions about the film, please feel free to email me at [email redacted] or message me via Instagram @rafiahshrz