Tanuj Chopra

He has been making films since he cut his first student project HATE CRIME (1998). In 1999 he holds a BA in Arts Semiotics from Brown University. His short film BUTTERFLY (2003) won 3 best film awards in addition to playing at over 20 festivals across North America, Europe, India, Pakistan. His other short films ULJHAN and BADE BAHIYA (BIG BROTHER) have also played in a number of festivals. He has worked for organizations serving teenagers in California and New York. He facilitated media workshops for teens in Elmhurst and Harlem. His involvement with youth and his cross-cultural upbringing have informed his work as a writer and director. PUNCHING AT THE SUN is his first feature film as a director.

Director’s statement

“PUNCHING AT THE SUN is a project I started writing while living in Elmhurst, Queens. It’s a grass-roots community driven film made possible by the generous donation of time and resources of friends, non-profit organizations, and the talented teenage cast that worked long film hours for nothing except the dream of creating a movie that reflected their experiences. The movie was written for Misu Khan, a kid I met in 2001. At 14 year-old, he had the charisma, presence, poise and charm of a true star. He was like a young Bangladeshi James Dean”.