Sonita is a renowned independent filmmaker based in London, where her rich cultural heritage plays a significant role in shaping her storytelling approach. As the daughter of migrant parents, she is deeply committed to elevating the voices and stories of marginalized communities and migrants, who are often overlooked or misrepresented in mainstream media.
Her feature-length directorial debut, "Hostile", premiered at the prestigious Raindance Film Festival in October 2021, shedding light on the UK's hostile immigration system and the devastating human cost of its inhumane policies. The film received widespread critical acclaim, earning longlist nominations for the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer and the British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) in three categories.
The impact campaign for "Hostile" has made significant progress over the past two years, with over 300 screenings in its initial phase. The second phase of the campaign aims to raise awareness about the human cost of Home Office policies, particularly among young people, local communities, and policymakers.
Before the release of "Hostile", Sonita collaborated with notable talents such as Brian Cox, a 2020 Golden Globe winner. Her first project with Galeforce Films, "Andrew Carnegie: Rags to Riches, Power to Peace", premiered at the 2015 Edinburgh International Film Festival. Her other credits include "International Health Service" (2020),a documentary featuring Emmy and BAFTA-nominated director Ursula Macfarlane, and the lockdown comedy web-series "Happy Epidemic" (2020).
Sonita has also made her mark on the industry as a juror for the 2023 BAFTAs, serving alongside host Jason Solomons and other esteemed professionals. She has also participated in the BIFA Springboard programme, designed to support writers, directors, and producers in developing their careers after producing a first feature.
Currently, Sonita is immersed in the next phase of her filmmaking journey. She is writing her debut short film, which she plans to film in the next year, and is developing a full-length feature based on this short. Additionally, she is working on a feature film adaptation of Andrew Carnegie's story, co-produced with Nicole Ansari, featuring Brian Cox as the lead and executive producer. Her production team is also in the early stages of filming her next documentary, currently in pre-production.