Nina Bains is a mother, a filmmaker, a traveller, who blazes her own trail.
What did I want to do when I grew up? This question my mother asked on our daily walk during one cold winter afternoon. Without thinking, I responded, “I want to make movies and travel around the world.” I was only eleven years old.
I was not sure how I would make it happen; I just knew that I would find a way. I was destined for an extraordinary life, and I was not entertaining any thoughts to the contrary. You see, the odds were stacked against me. I was born the daughter of two Indian farmers. Both barely out of their teenage years, they were shipped off to Canada in hopes they could escape the remnants of the bloody Partition of 1947. They became engaged via a photograph of each other, plucked from their villages, and met for the first time at the Lester B Pearson Airport in Toronto. Shortly after, I came along.
I grew up in Toronto, the oldest of five children. The responsibility of setting a good example was heavy. A career in the arts was not a responsible choice, according to my Indian parents. The more they pushed me towards a responsible career, the closer I moved towards Bollywood and Hollywood. I spent more time than ever thinking about creating and getting lost in the beautiful, rich, and colourful on-screen worlds.
Despite the challenges that presented themselves, I have taken advantage of every single opportunity that aligned itself with me. I have been consistent with my dedication to turn my daydreams into my reality.
I now live a beautiful and adventurous life working in film and television, and I am invited as a guest to film festivals around the world. I started The Ottawa International Film Festival before moving into the world of production.
I laugh out loud. I do not sugar coat anything. I am bold, daring, and outrageous, and I like to sing out loud in the car with the windows rolled all the way down.
I am a mother. A filmmaker. A traveller. I blaze my own trail and dance to the beat of my own drum. In this way, my story is like no other.
