Families and neighbors filled Regal Rockville Center on September 13, for the screening of Dad’s Dream, a 64-minute independent film presented during the DC South Asian Film Festival’s 15th-anniversary weekend.
Written and directed by Clement Arok and produced by Simon Lobo, the English-and-Tamil film is inspired by a true story. It follows a family through love, sacrifice, and the question on the poster: “Every dream begins at home… But whose dream are we living?”
Director Clement Arok said the film grew from a familiar household tension. “A father dreams of seeing his daughter become a doctor. She wants a different future. Those scenes inspired me to tell this story.”
Producer Lobo added that the father’s love is never in doubt. “He believes medicine will give her security and respect. The film shows how families can honor a parent’s hopes and a child’s own dreams.” Parents and students lingered after the screening, saying the story echoed conversations in their own homes.
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Aparna Madireddi, Virginia Humanities board member, said: “Stories like Dad’s Dream remind us that the humanities begin at the kitchen table. When a community sees its own love and hope on screen, a film becomes a language families can share.”
Dad’s dream roles are played by Shweta Shankar as Shweta Arjun, Samsudeen as Arjun, Babu Vinayagam as Shweta’s Dad, Loretta Justin as Shubi Arjun, Sumitra Sampath as Sumi, Shweta- childhood- Dhiya Samsudeen, and Loretta – Childhood- Ridha Samsudeen.
With music by Ashwin Vinayagam and Clement Arok, the film closed the festival weekend on a warm, reflective note, according to the producer.
