Visual Storytelling to Drive Change and Create Impact
WRITER | DIRECTOR | PRODUCER | EDITOR
TRANSCENDING BORDERS AND BOUNDARIES THROUGH FILM
Sahil’s approach to filmmaking is rooted in the belief that visual storytelling can break down barriers and amplify unheard voices. Through a lens that captures the rich tapestry of global cultures, his films seek to dismantle conventional narratives.
By blending empathetic storytelling with a deep commitment to multicultural perspectives, he aims to craft films that not only entertain but also inspire dialogue, invoke action, and drive meaningful social, structural, and political change.
BENDING BORDERS (Documentary)
Director | Director of Photography | Producer | Editor
In a journey to understand the social, economic, and political roots of the Catalan Independence Movement, directors Sahil Laul and Michael Costello travel across Spain to investigate the universal role of language and identity in political conflict. The film examines how one's social identity and spoken language affect their political opinions, social interactions, and daily lives. The film weaves together exclusive interviews with a striking cast of characters—from Salvador Illa, the sitting President of Catalonia, to the elusive and polarizing journalist Arcadi Espada, to the voices of everyday Spanish and Catalan citizens whose lives are caught in the crosscurrents of political turmoil.
Awards & Recognition: Recipient of UConn’s IDEA Grant 2018-19
KWIZERA: A STORY OF HOPE BORN FROM RESILIENCE (Documentary)
Director | Director of Photography | Producer | Editor
Kwizera—which comes from the Kinyarwanda word for hope—tells the trying story of a Rwandan refugee and her journey to pursue an education against all odds, as well as her efforts to equip the next generation of Rwandans with the tools needed to succeed and move beyond their past. The story is one of resilience, hope, inspiration, and love.
Awards & Recognition: Official Selection at the ARTSxSDGS Film Festival (August & October 2020) | Presented at the Dodd Center for Human Rights’ Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, Madam Dreamers 2020 Virtual Summit, UConn’s Second Annual Global Health Symposium, and in UConn’s Human Rights Through Film course
ABRAHAMIC TRADITIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE (Documentary)
Director | Director of Photography | Post Producer | Editor
Historically, science and religion have been viewed as opposing forces. This institutional film seeks to break the barrier through an exploration of the ethical, moral, and spiritual dimensions of Abrahamic religions that can and must help shape value systems to promote collective action against environmental change in the MENA region.
Featuring leading voices such as Adil Najam, President of WWF and climate diplomacy scholar; Dr. Ebtesam Al-Ketbi, the first Arab woman to lead a major think tank; Alon Tal, founder of the Israeli Union for Environmental Defense; Gidon Bromberg, cross-border peacebuilder and co-founder of EcoPeace Middle East; Iyad Abumoghli, Director of UNEP’s Faith for Earth Initiative; and Mary Evelyn Tucker, a pioneer in the field of religion and ecology, this film unites some of the most influential thinkers bridging science, ethics, and faith to confront the climate crisis in the MENA region.
Awards & Recognition: Presented at the 2020 Holy Land Living Water Conference in Jordan
A LEGACY WITHOUT LIMITS - A TRIBUTE TO WIKTOR OSIATYŃSKI (Documentary)
Post Producer | Archival Producer | Editor | Camera Operator
[Director, Catherine Masud] A group of international human rights scholars and activists ranging from the founder of Human Rights Watch to the Polish Ombudsman honor the life and legacy of Wiktor Osiatyński, a Polish lawyer, writer, professor, social activist, and an author of the new Polish Constitution of 1997, while examining the state of human rights in an era of rising nationalisms.
The film features global figures including George Soros, the polarizing financier and philanthropist known for championing liberal democracy; Aryeh Neier, co-founder of Human Rights Watch and inaugural president of The Open Society Foundations; Adam Bodnar, former Polish Ombudsman and current Minister of Justice; and Mai Khoi, the bold Vietnamese artist-activist dubbed the 'Lady Gaga of Vietnam'—each offering powerful reflections on Osiatyński’s legacy and the fight for human rights amid rising authoritarianism.
LETTERS FROM NUREMBERG (Documentary)
Post Producer | Archival Producer | Editor
[Director, Catherine Masud] From 1945-1946, Senator Thomas J. Dodd (CT) served as the Executive Trial Counsel for the US at the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, more commonly referred to as the Nuremberg Trials. During his time at Nuremberg, Senator Dodd wrote hundreds of handwritten letters to his wife, Grace, detailing his experiences at the trial, serving as a firsthand account of history as it unfolded. 75 years after the prosecution of 19 members of the Nazi High Command at the first Nuremberg Trial, this film explores the story of Nuremberg through Senator Dodd’s love letters.
Awards & Recognition: Premiered as a part of the UConn Human Rights Film+ Series, which was followed by a discussion with Senator Thomas J. Dodd’s son, Senator Christopher J. Dodd.
THE DODD CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (Institutional)
Creative Producer | Archival Producer | Editor | Camera Operator
This short promotional film explores the rich history of The Dodd Center for Human Rights, setting the stage for its future. The Dodd Center is home to UConn's world-class human rights research, academics, and outreach programs – supporting interdisciplinary inquiry into the most pressing human rights questions and preparing the next generation of human rights advocates.
Awards & Recognition: Premiered at Human Rights for the Next Generation: A Dedication of The Dodd Center for Human Rights in front of a prestigious audience including the 46th President of the United States, President Joseph R. Biden. Has raised over $15 million to date for human rights scholarship and practice.
MAI KHOI: FROM STARDOM TO PROTEST (Documentary)
Creative Producer | Editor | Camera Operator
In this musically driven piece, an artist once deemed “The Lady Gaga of Vietnam” discusses her transformation from pop-star to human-rights activist and her fight against an authoritarian regime.
ARMENIAN MEMORY PROJECT (Documentary Collection)
Production Manager | Camera Operator
Led by the Office of Global Affairs, in collaboration with the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute and Department of Digital Media & Design, an initiative is underway to create a variety of digital media telling the Armenian story--ensuring that history and heritage is not lost. Provided support for Spring 2023 student productions, by leading camera, lighting, and interview setups.
THE CALL: AMERICA’S GILDED AGE OF GRIEVANCE (Documentary)
Camera Operator
[Director, Chico Colvard & Producer, Madison O'Leary] The Call: America’s Gilded Age of Grievance examines 911 calls that range from acts of white supremacy to displays of implicit bias and genuine concerns about suspicious behavior framed by roiling racial divides. Produced by C-LineFilms, LLC with support from ITVS (Independent Lens), IDA, The Guggenheim Fellowship, HBO/IFP, LEF Foundation.
SHADRACH MINKINS AND THE FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT OF 1850 (Docudrama)
Key Production Assistant | Key Grip | 1st AC
[Director, Chico Colvard & Producer, Madison O'Leary] This short piece, slated by MTV, explores the incredible true story of Shadrach Minkins’s escape from slavery to freedom with the backdrop of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Produced by C-LineFilms, LLC, MTV, and Firelight Media.
Ek Onkar (Feature Film)
Story Editor | Development/Pre-Production Consultant
[Director, Kavi Raz] A story of intertwined fate and faiths set against the backdrop of the tragic true events of the 2012 Sikh Temple Shooting in Oak Creek, WI. The story follows the lives of three individuals, a former marine turned white supremacist, a weathered cop, and a despondent young Indian man, whose paths intertwine as they try to contend with their traumatic pasts and navigate their personal struggles, relationships, and purpose. A tragic event will determine their fates and future. This poignant story explores themes of redemption, resilience, family and the transformative power of faith and human connection.
FASHION FORWARD: STYLED BY RICKY (Unscripted TV Series)
Production Manager | Lead Editor
[Director, Sim Dhugga] This unscripted series showcases the creative ways that people are able to create stylish looks on a budget with the help of up and coming South Asian stylist/designer, Ricky Prasad.
Being Bibi (Unscripted TV Series)
DIT | Assistant Editor
[Director, Sim Dhugga] This unscripted series follows the culinary adventures of model, chef, and entrepreneur, Bibi Rahimi, as she introduces special guests and the audience to the rich flavors of Afghani cuisine.
“A mind that is stretched by new experiences can never go back to its old dimensions”
— Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.