Spotlight on Local Filmmaker: Anish Bhatt

Published on 17 March 2025

Weaving Stories Film Festival
Saturday, 22 March 2025 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
The Canopy, Lane Cove

Anish Bhatt is a Lane Cove resident with a passion for sustainability and storytelling. His short film, The Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting, delves into how rainwater collection can be made more accessible for all residents, including those living in apartments.

Anish grew up in Dubbo, a region often affected by drought and water shortages. Moving to Lane Cove, he became interested in how urban areas approach sustainability, particularly water conservation. Living in an apartment, he saw firsthand the challenges of adopting green solutions like solar panels and rainwater harvesting.

“I wanted to explore how can we harvest more rainwater, especially for people without obvious means to like me, living in a unit and how accessible and beneficial is it for all residents of Lane Cove.”

His film explores the Lane Cove Council’s efforts to implement rainwater harvesting at Blackman Park, highlighting its benefits for both the community and the environment. Anish examines how more residents—regardless of their housing situation—can take part in water conservation.

Anish’s involvement in the Weaving Climate Stories project wasn’t just about sustainability—it was also about learning the art of filmmaking. The project, funded by the NSW Social Cohesion Grants, included hands-on workshops with Digital Storytellers, where participants gained skills in crafting narratives, interviewing, and editing.

Through his film, Anish hopes to inspire more people to consider sustainable practices—especially those who might assume they don’t have the space or resources to do so.

Join Us to Celebrate Anish and Other Local Filmmakers!

The event will be hosted by Luke Carroll (Play School, Sydney Weekender) and will feature a woven art display by Indigenous artist Dr. Virginia Keft, alongside sustainability and community stalls from 4:00 PM.

Come along to support Anish and other emerging local filmmakers as they share their powerful climate stories.

More info: https://www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/weavingstories