Shabnam Sukhdev

Upper Room Image & Sound (URIS) is an independent film and media production company dedicated to creating powerful, human-centered stories that inspire reflection, dialogue, and social impact. Founded by filmmaker Shabnam Sukhdev, URIS produces documentaries, narrative films, experimental works, and short films that explore identity, memory, belonging, creativity, and the complexities of lived experience. Drawing on more than two decades of filmmaking, the company combines artistic integrity with innovative storytelling to create work that resonates across cultures and generations.

Our Vision & Approach

At the heart of URIS is the belief that storytelling is an act of presence. Every project begins with listening – allowing stories to emerge with authenticity, nuance, and emotional truth rather than imposing predetermined narratives. By bringing together image, sound, archival material, and emerging technologies, URIS transforms memory into immersive cinematic experiences that invite audiences to engage more deeply with history, culture and the human condition.

Our Ethos

URIS believes that the most compelling stories arise from lived experience – from memory, migration, silence, resilience, and the spaces between cultures and identities. Rather than offering simple answers, our work encourages audiences to question assumptions, embrace complexity, and discover new perspectives. Through thoughtful, compassionate filmmaking, URIS seeks not only to represent diverse voices but also to foster empathy, critical reflection, and meaningful human connection.

Our Work

Our portfolio spans feature documentaries, documentary shorts, experimental cinema, fiction, podcasts and multimedia installations, each reflecting a commitment to artistic excellence and social relevance. Explore our work through our documentaries, short fiction and hybrid films, and experimental projects and narrative films, where each production demonstrates a distinctive approach to storytelling while engaging audiences across cultures, disciplines and platforms.