An Independent Film, 14 Years in the Making
The Fisherman and the Banker is the result of a 14-year journey. This is a story of defiance and the fight for justice, told from the ground up. The film was shaped by deep engagement with the Wagher fishing community and a commitment to amplifying voices often ignored by mainstream narratives.
Meet the Team
Sheena Sumaria (Director, Producer, Cinematography, Editor)
Sheena is a British-Gujarati filmmaker with a background in economics and political economy from Cambridge University and SOAS, whose work explores social justice through storytelling. Her debut feature, Even the Crows: A Divided Gujarat, examined the rise of Hindu nationalism in India. Rooted in her British- Asian heritage, Sheena’s films connect local struggles to global power structures, blending poetic and observational styles to amplify marginalised voices and highlight resistance, identity, and community.
Christopher Hird (Executive Producer)
Christopher Hird is the founder of Dartmouth Films, and has been one of the pioneers in independent documentaries in the UK for more than 15 years. He has produced film that have premiered at Sundance, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Hot Docs, Berlin and others. He was chair of Sheffield Doc/Fest and Doc Society as well as a trustee of the Grierson Trust, of which he is now a patron. Last year Dartmouth won the Screen International Award for the best documentary film campaign in British cinemas.
Sonum Sumaria (Co-Cinematographers)
Sonum Sumaria is an award-winning British-Gujarati filmmaker and has been making films with marginalised communities for the past twelve years. She read Spanish and Russian at Cambridge University, and studied at the Cuban film school EICTV, going on to complete an MA in Cinematography at MetFilm School in London. She has a deep interest in indigenous and nomadic communities and is particularly drawn to the themes of identity and belonging.
Jake Walker (Music Composer)
Jake composes for games, films and immersive. He works with acoustic instruments, voices, electronica and creative sound design to create compelling immersive soundtracks. He has drama features and feature docs, factual, and commercials on Netflix, Sky, Lionsgate, ITV, Channel 4, Discovery and BBC 1. Jake is also a technologist. He has coded a music search engine that delivers music using non musical search terms, and is the founder of The Audio Layer, a full service agency providing music and sound solutions for immersive, games and branding.