Film Director Adam J. Graves: Interview & Film Breakdown of his short film ANUJA

Writer/director Adam J. Graves is a philosopher-turned-filmmaker, who holds a B.A. in South Asian studies and a Ph.D. in the Philosophy of Religion from the University of Pennsylvania.

Adam has lived extensively in India, where he studied Sanskrit at the Ba-nair-as Hindu University, conducted grant-supported research, and volunteered with several youth-focused non-profits.

He is a professor of philosophy at MSU Denver, where he teaches film & philosophy, and directs Dphi, a center for philosophy, film, literature, and the arts.

Adam wrote, directed and produced the award winning short film Cycle Vé-ree-teé in 2021 and produced and edited the documentary short The Other Side of the Sun in 2024. 

Adam is here to discuss his newest short film, ANUJA. Where a precocious nine-year-old who works in a back-alley garment factory is suddenly offered a rare chance to attend boarding school, she faces a choice that will determine the fate of her future and her family.

ANUJA is a short narrative film that was created with the help of the Salaam Baylack Trust, a non-profit organization that provides food, shelter, and education to thousands of street and working children. The character Anuja is played by Sajda Pathan, who lives at a Salaam Baylack residential center that provides a home for girls rescued from the streets of Delhi. #anuja #shortfilm #adamjgraves #hollyshorts #filmmaker #filmdirector #filmproducer #filmwriting #screenwriter #cinema #cinematic #cinematography #bollywood #hollywood #india #garmentfactory