NewEnglandFilm.com

As a child of immigrants, Nicky Tavares is no stranger to foreign cultures or the misconceptions that are sometimes associated with them. Much of her work, both as a photographer and as a filmmaker has been centered on bringing to light a true understanding of heritage, culture and what it means to be a part of a society. The LEF Foundation shares her vision and awarded Tavares a $15,000 grant for her upcoming documentary Son of a Bug, which she is co-producing with her fiancé Sham-Tabraiz Muzaffar.

In addition to documentary films, Tavares is also working on a series of short 16mm collage films, which are “…constructed out of materials I find at estate sales,” says Tavares.
She has graciously taken time from her busy schedule to share with us how she got her start in filmmaking and the making of her new documentary, Son of a Bug.

K.Correia: How did you get your start as a filmmaker? Did you go to film school?

Nicky Tavares: I was a photographer before I got my start as a filmmaker. After I graduated college in Texas, I moved back to my hometown, New Bedford, where I began working as a correspondent for O Jornal, the Portuguese English journal, and producing an independent photo essay on the Portuguese community in New England. It was during this time that I learned that my dear friend and mentor Deanie French passed away under tragic circumstances. In the wake of this news I felt compelled to pay tribute to her as my mentor by telling her remarkable life story. I realized quickly that I could not accomplish this with still photography alone and began exploring video and animation to make what later became my first documentary, Fwd: Update on My Life. I began this exploration first as a post-baccalaureate student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and then as a graduate student at Massachusetts College of Art and Design.

KC: As a Massachusetts native, where did you get the idea and motivation to make Son of a Bug, a documentary about Pakistan’s first rock n’ roll band?

Tavares: I came up with the idea to make Son of a Bug with my fiancé and co-producer Sham-Tabraiz Muzaffar; his father Jimmy was the drummer for The Bugs. We were motivated by the fact that the story of The Bugs and early rock music in Pakistan remains largely unknown and undocumented.

KC: How long has production on this project taken and have you faced any difficulty or setbacks in shooting this film?

Tavares: We anticipated in June 2011, when we first began working on Son of a Bug, that our biggest challenge would be finding recordings and archival materials. We began with one photo, a single recording and no guarantee of finding anything more. We decided early on that even if no other materials existed, this story still needs to be told and that we will find a creative and engaging way to tell it. With this in mind, we have approached the process of researching The Bugs as content and although progress has been slow, we have made some incredibly exciting discoveries while shooting in Pakistan this past June.

KC: How did you first hear about the LEF Foundation?

Tavares: I first learned about the LEF Foundation through one of my professors in graduate school. I was immediately inspired by the projects that LEF supported and made it a personal goal to apply after I finished my graduate education and established myself as an emerging filmmaker. The LEF Foundation is an incredible resource for New England filmmakers and I am deeply honored to have their support.

KC: How will the $15,000 grant awarded you by the LEF Foundation aid in the production of Son of a Bug?

Tavares: It will allow me to finish production in Pakistan and Toronto where the living members of The Bugs will be reunited for the first time in nearly 20 years!

KC: Can you tell us of any upcoming screenings of the film?

Tavares: As the production phase of Son of a Bug is not yet complete I do not have any upcoming screenings to share at this time. I am, however, looking forward to presenting the trailer for Son of a Bug at universities in Pakistan this fall.

KC: What do you hope that the audience will take away with them when they see the film?

Tavares: I hope that Son of a Bug will be a fun and engaging story that will bring a new and needed dimension to Americans’ perceptions of Pakistan, Pakistanis, and Muslims in general. When viewers leave the screening room, I hope they take with them a more complex understanding of Pakistani society and culture, promoting tolerance and understanding.