MIFF 2026: Indian-Australian filmmaker Nandita Chakraborty’ movie ‘Shared Table: Regional Heroes’: How food is about identity, memory, and belonging

Food can be hugely political. Shared Table: Regional Heroes film takes audiences on a journey through the stunning landscapes of Victoria, from the Wimmera to Gippsland, while sharing stories of resilience, hope, identity, and community. Around tables filled with food from Burma, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Nepal, India, and beyond, the film discovers how culture, memory, and human connection continue to shape modern Australia. For Nandita Chakraborty from panta bhaat, kosha mangsho, her mother’s shorshe ilish, or a simple chicken egg roll, each dish carries a story.

Nandita Chakraborty wants Indian audiences to see that migration is not simply about leaving a country it is about carrying pieces of home with you and finding ways to belong in a new place. The film celebrates ordinary people who have done extraordinary things through resilience, kindness, and community building. The film talks about how for migrants food becomes a bridge to home.

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Edited excerpts from the interview:

Shared Table: Regional Heroes, what is the film about, and what can audiences expect from it?

Shared Table: Regional Heroes follows four extraordinary yet often overlooked individuals who have left their homelands to build new lives in Australia. They are quiet changemakers who contribute to the rich fabric of contemporary Australian society, often without recognition. Some have escaped war, persecution, and genocide, while others have overcome immense challenges to find belonging in regional Victoria.

Audiences can expect warmth, laughter, powerful stories, beautiful landscapes, and, of course, plenty of delicious food. At its heart, the film is a celebration of belonging and shared humanity.

What was the inspiration behind making this documentary? Could you walk us through the filmmaking process?

The inspiration came from our producer, Niru Tripathi, who also runs the not-for-profit organisation CALD Community Voices. After the success of our previous documentary, Piquancy: Silent Heroes of CALD Community Voices, which focused on multicultural stories in metropolitan Melbourne, we wanted to explore similar stories in regional Victoria.

The journey began when Clare, the Mildura International Film Festival director, connected me with Paw Po in Nhill, a rural town in Victoria's Wimmera region. This story became the starting point for the documentary. From there, we travelled across Dimboola, Shepparton, and Gippsland, meeting remarkable individuals whose lives reflected courage, a certain bravado that deepened their sense of community.

What began as a documentary project soon became a road trip of discovery for our diverse film crew. Along the way, we shared meals, stories, and experiences that transformed not only the film but also our understanding of belonging and identity. At one point I was as if in Shillong with the Karen people of Burma in Nhill.

The title Shared Table: Regional Heroes is intriguing. What does it signify, and who are these ‘regional heroes’?

 The title was born during a team dinner at my home. We were enjoying my mother's chicken curry when our sound recordist, Ray, remarked that food was something unique that connected everyone. That simple observation sparked the entire concept.

The next day, I began developing the idea that sharing food is also sharing culture, history, and stories. Since ancient times, communities have gathered around food to connect with one another. Breaking bread together has always been one of humanity's most powerful acts of fellowship.

The ‘regional heroes’ are people whose contributions often go unnoticed. They are migrants, community leaders, business owners, carers, and advocates who have transformed regional communities through passion and generosity. Their stories remind us that food, water, shelter, and human connection are universal needs that transcend race, religion, and borders.

The film presents a modern Australian table where strangers become friends and cultural differences become strengths. Food often carries stories of identity, memory, and belonging. How does the film explore these themes?

Coming from a Bengali family, food has always been at the centre of life. Every meaningful conversation seemed to begin with a cup of garam chai and a plate of samosas. While anyone can recreate a recipe, what cannot be recreated is the conversation, the memories, and the feeling of belonging that accompany it.

For migrants especially, food becomes a bridge to home. A dish can transport you back to your childhood, to family gatherings, or to loved ones who may no longer be with us. Around a shared meal, people often find the courage to discuss difficult topics such as loss, family, identity, relationships, and hope.

In the film, food becomes both a storyteller and a catalyst. It opens doors to memories that might otherwise remain untold and creates space for honest conversations about what it means to belong.

What is your own relationship with food? Are there childhood memories, family traditions, or regional dishes that hold special meaning for you?

Food is deeply connected to my memories of childhood and family. Whenever my mother cooks it instantly transports me back to India and to memories of my late father.

Whether it is panta bhaat, kosha mangsho, my mother's shorshe ilish, or a simple chicken egg roll, each dish carries a story. These foods are more than meals; they are reminders of who I am and where I come from.

Over the years, I have introduced many of my Australian friends to Bengali food, and sharing those dishes has helped me maintain a sense of connection to my heritage. Food has always been one of the ways I have honed identity and belonging as a migrant.

Does the film explore cultural connections between India and Australia? If so, how do food and community become bridges between the two countries?

Absolutely. As an Indian migrant who has called Australia home for more than two decades, this film is deeply personal. The entire production was created by a multicultural team, many of whom are migrants themselves. We also feature celebrated chef Kishwar Chowdhury, whose own story reflects the beautiful blending of South Asian and Australian identities.

The film explores how migrants bring traditions, recipes, languages, and memories from their homelands while simultaneously embracing and contributing to Australian culture. Food becomes the bridge that allows these identities to coexist and evolve.

In many ways, the film is about building new cultures rather than choosing between old and new ones.

What similarities and differences did you observe in the way food shapes identity and community across cultures?

 In India, food changes every few hundred kilometres. Languages change, ingredients change, and culinary traditions evolve dramatically from region to region.

Australia presents a different experience. As a multicultural nation, it has become a meeting place for cuisines and cultures from around the world. Having lived in Australia for 26 years, I have witnessed the transformation from a handful of Indian restaurants to an incredible diversity of food experiences.

Melbourne, in particular, has become a global food capital where African, Nepali, Chinese, Turkish, Indian, Vietnamese, and countless other cuisines exist side by side. While the foods may be different, the role they play is remarkably similar: bringing people together, preserving culture, and creating community.

One of your books, Dirty Little Secrets, is being adapted into a film. Tell us more about that project.

I am delighted that Dirty Little Secrets has been optioned by Enigma Films Australia. The project is currently in pre-production, and we are working through the exciting process of casting and other elements.

It is still early days, but I am looking forward to seeing the characters and themes come to life in a new medium. As both a writer and filmmaker, it is a wonderful opportunity to explore storytelling from a different perspective.

Your film is premiering at the Mumbai International Film Festival in the international category. What do you hope Indian audiences, particularly those attending MIFF, will take away from the film?

I am incredibly honoured that Shared Table: Regional Heroes is premiering at the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF). For me, bringing this film to India feels like bringing a story home.

At its heart, the film is about shared humanity. Around a table filled with food from Burma, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Nepal, India, and Australia, people discover that despite different languages, cultures, and histories, we all seek the same things: love, family, safety, connection, and hope.

As someone who migrated from India to Australia, this film is deeply personal. It reflects how migrants contribute to shaping a modern Australia while honouring the traditions and cultures they bring with them.

I hope audiences leave the cinema feeling inspired by the power of community, moved by the courage of these regional heroes, and reminded that every shared meal has the potential to build understanding and bridge divides.

In a world often divided by borders, race, and conflict, Shared Table: Regional Heroes offers a simple message: when we sit together, listen to each other's stories, and share food, we discover our common humanity.