A documentary about an Indian family’s journey navigating the world of disability rights in the United States is up for an Emmy Award. My Name Is Siri is nominated in the Human Interest category for the Northern California Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), with the ceremony only a few sleeps away on June 15.
Directed by Sarah Moshman and produced by Asha Dahya, the short film focuses on Siri Chettipally and her family, who live in the Bay Area of California. Siri was born after her parents Uli and Swathi Chettipally migrated to the US from India in the late 1980s. She was then given an autism diagnosis a few years later.
The 20-minute documentary not only examines Siri’s personal growth, but is one “about resilience, a mother's unconditional love, and a family determined to create a better life for their daughter”. It delves into the choices made by Siri’s mum Swathi, who eventually put her career aside to focus on learning more about autism, and finding ways to help Siri communicate with others. As a person who is non-verbal, Siri has been working with a therapist from The Spellers Center, which teaches the spell-to-communicate method to children and young adults on the spectrum.
While autism awareness has grown since the 1990s, there’s still a way to go when it comes to resourcing, support, education and combating cultural taboos. The Chettipally family’s resilience has been a great source of inspiration to many, and the Emmy nomination only reinforces this according to the documentary’s executive producer Asha Dahya.
“As an Indian immigrant, as a mother of two, and as someone who has had to navigate my own barriers as a parent, it was such a privilege to share the Chettipally family’s story with the world,” Dahya said in an official press statement.
“Having met a number of families in the Bay Area autism community at a local screening, who shared with us how inspired they are by Siri’s story, the Emmy nomination is going to take that hope and encouragement to many more families with the message that they belong, they are not alone, and there is a way forward.”
The Emmy winners will be announced in a ceremony on June 15, 2024 in San Francisco, California. Watch the trailer for My Name Is Siri below.