Indian-American filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir achieved a major milestone on Thursday as she earned two Oscar nominations. She received recognition for her short film “The Devil Is Busy” and her feature-length documentary “The Perfect Neighbor.”
Meanwhile, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
“The Devil Is Busy” shortlisted for best documentary short
Gandbhir co-directed “The Devil Is Busy” with Christalyn Hampton. As a result, the film entered the race for best documentary short.
The documentary will compete against “All the Empty Rooms,” “Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud,” “Children No More: Were and Are Gone,” and “Perfectly a Strangeness.”
Importantly, the 31-minute film follows Tracii, the head of security at a women’s healthcare clinic in Atlanta, Georgia. Over the course of a single day, the film shows how she protects patients and staff while facing stricter abortion laws and constant protests outside the clinic.
Feature documentary focuses on Florida shooting
At the same time, Gandbhir earned another nomination in the best documentary feature category for “The Perfect Neighbor.”
The film will compete with “The Alabama Solution,” “Come See Me in the Good Light,” “Cutting through Rocks,” and “Mr. Nobody against Putin.”
The Netflix documentary examines a June 2023 shooting in Ocala, Florida. In the incident, a white woman, Susan Louise Lorincz, fatally shot her Black neighbour Ajike Owens. Through the film, Gandbhir explores the legal system, community impact, and racial tensions linked to the case.
Gandbhir’s background and filmmaking journey
In addition to directing, Gandbhir also produced the film along with Alisa Payne, Nikon Kwantu, and Sam Bisbee.
Earlier in her career, renowned filmmakers Sam Pollard and Spike Lee mentored her. She was born to Indian parents who migrated to the United States in the 1960s.
Over nearly two decades, she has built a strong reputation in documentary filmmaking. During this period, she has won several Emmy and Peabody Awards.
Previous acclaimed projects
Previously, Gandbhir directed “I Am Evidence” (2017), a documentary that exposed long delays in testing rape kits across the United States. As a result, the film drew national attention to serious failures in the justice system.
Later, she directed “Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power” (2022). The project earned praise for its deep historical research and strong storytelling.
In 2022, she also directed the Emmy-winning short “Through Our Eyes: Apart.”
Oscars ceremony date announced
Looking ahead, the 98th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Gandbhir explains the purpose behind her film
Finally, Gandbhir explained why media attention mattered for “The Perfect Neighbor.” She said the case initially received very limited coverage.
“To get media attention around the murder, because it was not really being covered. It was only covered by very local news at best. Without media attention, law enforcement may not be as quick to act. (Lorincz) hadn’t been arrested because of Stand Your Ground laws in Florida, and that ongoing investigation. We were able to get the family on the news there (and) amp up the noise around it.”
Through the documentary, Gandbhir aimed to bring national focus to the case and push authorities to act.