Synopsis

A young Sikh man named Zorawer, in his late 20s, a first-generation immigrant in Canada, loses both parents during his childhood and finds solace and a sense of home with his high school sweetheart, Sarah. When Sarah decides to move back home with her sick mother, Zorawer is left feeling vulnerable and shattered. Their shared concept of home crumbles, forcing them to rebuild their lives separately. As they navigate the intricate and painful journey of moving forward, they must confront their shared memories and the emotional turmoil that comes with them.

WHY NOW?

Paper Plane is a short film that explores the journey of finding home through love and grief. It delves into generational trauma—how grief is often passed down without being processed, leaving us emotionally paralyzed. As an immigrant, these themes resonate deeply with us. So much of our experience is about leaving behind people, places, and parts of ourselves, yet we rarely stop to acknowledge what that loss does to us. This film is our way of confronting those emotions, not just for me but for anyone who has ever felt caught between two worlds.

Grief and love are things I have experienced and understood differently at various points in my life, but only recently have I developed the emotional maturity to truly sit with them. As a filmmaker, I’ve always been drawn to stories that feel deeply personal yet universal, and Paper Plane is my most personal attempt yet.

It’s not a loud story; it’s quiet, like grief itself.

Ultimately, Paper Plane is more than just a film; it’s a conversation, an invitation for audiences to reflect on their own experiences with love, grief, and belonging. If this film can offer even one person a sense of recognition or comfort, then it will have done what I set out to achieve. And for me as a filmmaker, it marks the beginning of a path toward deeper, more meaningful storytelling—one that I hope will lead me to larger creative endeavours and a community of artists who share the same passion for honest, emotionally resonant cinema.

KEY CREATIVES

BUDGET