Talented Chewton filmmaker Noora Niasari is offering residents an incredible opportunity to document their loved-ones’ stories, immortalising their memories forever.
Noora and her partner Keiran Watson-Bonnice, who has years of post-production experience, brought their collective love and expertise in filmmaking together to form Parandeh Pictures in 2022.
Back from the whirlwind tour of Noora’s 2023 Sundance award-winning film, SHAYDA, Noora decided to slow down and connect with the community and reconnect with her documentary-making roots by starting an oral history service.
The idea took form after she was approached to interview a friend of a friend who had been diagnosed with stage four cancer.
“I interviewed her early last year, and it was such a beautiful experience. I felt like I got to know this remarkable human being and capture her stories,” Noora said.
“Four weeks later, she passed away. While the family was expecting it, it’s never easy, and they were so grateful to have this record of their loved one, including memories they had never heard before.
“I found the whole experience grounding after making SHAYDA, because it was such a one-on-one experience that brought me back to the essence of connecting with people and telling stories.
“We have the firm belief that everyone has a story to tell. The nature of memory is this dynamic flowing thing, so I never stop that, but I can gently guide them back if I need to,” Noora said.
Noora and her team are dedicated to offering a customised experience, offering filming services either at their space at the Mill or at people’s homes.
It’s a unique opportunity for locals to preserve their stories on video.
“It can be a beautiful gift for a family member or loved one in different scenarios, especially for people later in life who haven’t had a chance to be heard in that way,” Noora said.
“The last client we had, the woman said, ‘I feel like a movie star’. She felt really seen and really special. I loved that. For someone to get to their 90s and not have had that feeling, it was really lovely to provide that for her.”
For more information, contact the team by email at: hello@parandehpictures.com
