Please join us in welcoming Purandhya Sharma to the William H. Hannon Library! Purandhya is our new project archivist for the University Archives. In order to get to know Purandhya a little better, we asked her a few questions about coming back to Loyola Marymount University as a full-time member of the library team.
Tell us a little about yourself and the work you’re doing for Hannon Library.
I was born and raised in Kanpur, one of the most populous cities in northern India, known for its language, humor and history–being a key industrial center during British colonization. I was recently trying to explain Kanpur to my roommates and the idiosyncratic shop names we have, like “Badnaam Kulfi” (Kulfi: a milk ice-cream, with a bad reputation), which is actually famous, or “Thaggu ke Laddu” (The Cheat’s Laddoo: an Indian sweet). Although it can be both absurd and chaotic, it has grown to be my happy place especially after living away for so long.
I stepped out of my home a decade ago and have dabbled in academia and filmmaking since. It was during the last leg of my masters in literature that writing papers inspired and bored me enough to realize that I wanted to make films. And so, I came to LMU to do an MFA in film and TV production and specialized in directing non-fiction. As a graduate student, I also had the opportunity to work at the William H. Hannon Library all three years. I am now back at the library as a project archivist for the University Archives, and in my new role, I will be assisting the university archivist on audio-visual collections such as the Inclusive History and Images Project, SFTV Hollywood Masters, and Which Way L.A.? collection.
You have a background in filmmaking. What was your experience and how does that impact the work you’re doing at the library?
It was a wholesome experience to be a production student at the School of Film and Television. It really helped me to be a well-rounded filmmaker as I got to make three films, both fiction and non-fiction, that I had written, produced, directed and edited. I also picked up many other skills through this program, for example, sound mixing, sound designing and directing actors. I truly feel that my practice as a documentary filmmaker informs my work with the library’s archives and special collections. Since a lot of my films are personal and focus on memory, I have often worked with archival footage, interviews, and old photographs.
I am aware of the ethical challenges that pertain to handling and using the material publicly. There is always a question of representation which is similar to the work of librarians and archivists working towards making the information available to us more inclusive. In fact, what I learned here at the library has also greatly influenced my work, and I see strong parallels between cinema and the work that librarians do. At the end of the day, we are all sharing a certain kind of narrative. But to answer your question, my expertise with audiovisual media and my skills in editing and transcribing will help in processing and providing quality control for the collections I am currently working on.
You’ve been in L.A. for a few years now. What has been your experience?
One of my favorite things about L.A. is that it is easygoing. It truly lets you be who you want to be. There is something about it that makes you a bit more relaxed and confident in oneself. It is also such a huge city, that I feel I am still discovering new things.
What are your long-term professional goals?
I am currently working on my next script. My goal is to produce two feature films in the next five years. I am also learning about digital preservation, and I have come to realize how we take digital media for granted. I never thought digital material has a shorter lifespan than physical. It has made me more conscious of the way I interact with the devices I use every day, and I really find value in the work I am currently doing. I cannot help but think about the rich history we have in India, and the kind of conversations we need to have regarding archiving and preserving our history, especially after working here at the library. I hope I can contribute to it someday.
We have to ask: what are your film recommendations?
I love all kind of films, but I will say this that people still misunderstand documentary cinema. It is not always factual, and it is not always about getting information. One of my favorite quotes is from Werner Herzog who says “Facts do not constitute truth.” I think people forget that they are watching a film and it will always be colored by the filmmaker’s perspective.
One of my most recommended documentary is “Act of Killing” by Joshua Oppenheimer. The filmmaker interacts with former death squad leaders of the 1965-66 Indonesian genocide, who make a classic Hollywood style film about the mass killings they were responsible for, adding some musical numbers to it. They question their own actions in the process, while demonstrating how they murdered people. This is a great example of a film that speaks to the process of making a film and how it affects those involved in the film. It also challenges oneself as an audience – should you really sympathize with these leaders, should you laugh at their re-enactments, should you humanize them? This film is an example of how complex and creative documentaries can be.
The project archivist helps with the organization, arrangement, description, and quality control of University Archives collections, including digitized and born-digital materials. These materials are the stories and histories of LMU students, faculty, staff, and community members. Thank you, Purandhya!