I am an independent documentary director and producer from New Delhi, India. My work explores intersections between socio-political conflict, displacement, memory and identity through an intimate and poetic lens. My films focus on personal lives shaped by contested landscapes and fragile histories.

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My notable works include Trans Kashmir (2022), Daughter of Nepal (2018) and A Thin Wall (2015). Trans Kashmir has screened at over 35 international festivals across eight countries, won several Best Documentary awards, and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime UK, Kanopy and Cinelogue, with ongoing educational circulation in universities and community spaces through Frameline (USA).

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Committed to nurturing independent voices, I am a founding member of Small Town Big Stories, a mentoring initiative supporting emerging documentary filmmakers from small towns and rural regions of India. I am also the co-founder of Painted Tree Pictures, a Delhi-based film company dedicated to socially engaged and artist-driven cinema.

I am a member of Asian American Doc Network, Bitchitra Collective, an organising member of the Video Consortium, Delhi hub, and serve on the board of the International Association of Women in Radio & Television, India Chapter.

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I hold an MFA in Film from Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, and a BA in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi.

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Get in touch at surbhi@paintedtreepictures.com