Documentaries: Stories of Identity, Activism, and Resilience
Self-financed films exploring the human experience in Sweden, focusing on gender, health, and hidden histories.
Creating Self-Financed Films About What Matters
Independent documentary filmmaker based in Stockholm, specializing in stories about activism, feminism, and social justice. With formal training from Ölands Folkhögskola (2014), I produce, direct, film, and edit documentaries that challenge perspectives and amplify marginalized voices.
Why Independent? Self-financing ensures complete creative control, editorial independence, and authentic storytelling without commercial or institutional constraints.
Diploma in Documentary Research & Storytelling (2014) from Ölands Folkhögskola
Through intensive training in documentary research, filming, and editing, I developed the skills to bring important stories to life. My approach combines journalistic rigor with emotional storytelling, creating films that are both informative and deeply human.
My documentary work centers on three interconnected themes:
Activism & Social Movements: Documenting grassroots organizing, community action, and movements for change. Exploring how ordinary people create extraordinary impact through collective action.
Feminism & Gender Equality: Examining gender dynamics, women's experiences, and the ongoing struggle for equality. Giving voice to diverse feminist perspectives and untold stories.
Social Justice & Human Rights: Investigating systemic inequalities, advocating for marginalized communities, and highlighting efforts toward a more just society.
Production Approach
Research-Driven Storytelling: Every project begins with deep research—interviews, archival material, and immersion in the subject matter. I spend time building relationships and understanding context before filming begins.
Ethical Filmmaking: I prioritize the dignity and agency of my subjects. Documentary filmmaking carries responsibility—to tell truthful stories while respecting the people who trust me with their experiences.
Documentary Crash Course, 2011
Elisabeth och Skönheten (Elisabeth and Beauty) - 5-Day Documentary Challenge.
My first documentary film, created in 2011 during FilmCentrum Stockholm's intensive Documentary Crash Course. Working collaboratively with Jarek Nalewajko and Eunice Vidals, we had just 5 days to create a complete documentary from scratch.
A collaborative documentary about beauty, created from scratch in five intensive days
What can three filmmakers create in just five days? "Elisabeth och Skönheten" (Elisabeth and Beauty) is a documentary born from FilmCentrum Stockholm's Documentary Crash Course in 2011. Created by Zayera Khan, Jarek Nalewajko, and Eunice Vidals, the film explores themes of beauty through the perspective of Elisabeth—crafted entirely from concept to completion within an intense 5-day workshop.
The film represents the challenge and creativity that emerges when time constraints force rapid decision-making. From initial brainstorming to final edit, the team had just 120 hours to find their subject, conduct interviews, film, and produce a finished documentary. The result is an intimate exploration of how one person relates to the concept of beauty—what it means, how it's defined, and how it shapes our lives.
This documentary exemplifies the crash course philosophy: real filmmaking happens not in perfect conditions with unlimited time, but in the messy, urgent process of making decisions, solving problems, and creating something meaningful under pressure.
Film Details:
Year: 2011. Language: Swedish
Length: Short documentary. Theme: Beauty, self-perception, identity, aesthetics
Production Timeline: 5 days (from concept to completion)
Directors/Creators: Zayera Khan, Jarek Nalewajko, Eunice Vidals
Workshop: Documentary Crash Course, FilmCentrum Stockholm. Production: Collaborative student/workshop project
Keywords: Documentary crash course, collaborative filmmaking, beauty standards, Stockholm, FilmCentrum, 5-day film challenge, intensive filmmaking, documentary workshop, Swedish documentary, portrait film, beauty perception, rapid production
Target Audience: Documentary students, film educators, workshop participants, FilmCentrum alumni, anyone interested in beauty and identity, filmmakers exploring collaborative rapid production methods
Watch the film: YouTube
Documentary films made during my education 2013 - 2014
The Goldcrest and the Migration
Swedish documentary about Europe's smallest bird and its journey across the Baltic Sea
Follow the extraordinary migration of goldcrests in this documentary film from Ottenby Bird Observatory on Öland, Sweden. The film showcases the bird ringing process and the scientific research behind understanding bird migration.
How does a bird weighing less than 10 grams manage to fly across open water? Through intimate filming and the ringing process, we follow these small survivors on their adventure. A story about nature's resilience, scientific research, and the invisible miracles that happen in the skies above us every autumn.
The documentary combines close-up footage of the birds during ringing with perspectives on their impressive journey, highlighting the important work done to understand and protect migratory bird species.
Film Details:
Year: 2013. Length: Short film. Language: Swedish
Theme: Nature, bird migration, scientific research
Location: Ottenby Bird Observatory, Öland, Sweden
Production: Self-financed independent documentary
Keywords: Goldcrest, bird migration, Ottenby Bird Observatory, bird ringing, nature documentary, Swedish documentary, birdwatching, Baltic Sea, Öland, wildlife film
Target Audience: Nature documentary enthusiasts, birdwatchers, biology students, environmental educators, anyone fascinated by migration and animal adaptations
Watch the film: YouTube
Ottenby Bird Observatory - Bird Ringing Documentary
Swedish documentary about scientific bird ringing at one of Europe's most important bird observatories
Discover the fascinating world of bird ringing at Ottenby Bird Observatory on Öland, Sweden. This documentary film takes you behind the scenes of the scientific research that helps us understand bird migration, population dynamics, and conservation needs.
Through intimate close-ups of European robins and chaffinches, the film reveals the careful process of ringing, measuring, and documenting birds before releasing them back to nature. Each tiny ring carries vital data that contributes to our understanding of migration routes, survival rates, and how bird populations change over time.
Ottenby Bird Observatory, located at Sweden's southernmost point, is one of Europe's most important stations for migration research. This film captures both the scientific precision and the gentle care required in this important conservation work.
Film Details:
Year: 2013. Length: Short documentary. Language: Swedish
Theme: Bird ringing, scientific research, ornithology, conservation
Location: Ottenby Bird Observatory, Öland, Sweden
Featured Species: European robin (Rödhake), Chaffinch (Piltink)
Production: Self-financed independent documentary
Keywords: Ottenby Bird Observatory, bird ringing, ornithology, bird migration research, European robin, chaffinch, Öland, Sweden, conservation biology, scientific research, nature documentary, wildlife research
Target Audience: Birdwatchers, ornithology students, conservation professionals, nature documentary enthusiasts, educators, anyone interested in scientific fieldwork and bird research
Watch the film: YouTube
Young voices on body image: An intimate exploration of how 18-20 year olds relate to their own bodies
What do young people really think about their bodies? In this intimate documentary, young adults aged 18-20 open up about which body parts they like or dislike about themselves. Through honest conversations, the film explores the complex relationship between identity, self-image, and societal expectations.
Each participant chose their own background music, creating a deeply personal soundtrack that reflects their individual stories. The film captures a vulnerable moment in young adulthood—a time when body image and self-acceptance are particularly fraught with complexity.
By giving voice to these personal reflections, the documentary reveals both the diversity and commonality of body-related anxieties. It's a candid look at how we see ourselves, what we wish we could change, and the journey toward self-acceptance.
Film Details:
Year: 2013. Length: Short documentary. Language: Swedish
Theme: Body image, self-perception, youth, identity, mental health
Format: Interview-based portrait series
Participants: Young adults aged 18-20
Production: Self-financed independent documentary
Keywords: Body image, self-esteem, young adults, body positivity, self-perception, mental health, youth documentary, identity, Swedish documentary, body acceptance, self-image, social pressure
Target Audience: Youth counselors, educators, psychology students, parents, young adults, mental health professionals, anyone interested in body image issues and youth perspectives
Watch the film: YouTube
Body Parts: Liked or Disliked
Odd Bird - Portrait Documentary about Female Birdwatchers
Three women breaking stereotypes in the male-dominated world of birdwatching
Why is birdwatching still seen as a hobby for older men? This portrait documentary follows three women who challenge that stereotype, sharing their passion for birds and nature. Through their stories, the film explores not just ornithology, but questions about gender, outdoor culture, and who gets to be taken seriously in nature spaces.
The title "Udda fågel" (Odd Bird) plays on the Swedish expression for someone who stands out or doesn't fit the norm—an apt description for women in a field where they're often the minority. These three birdwatchers share what drew them to birds, the challenges they've faced, and why they continue pursuing their passion despite sometimes feeling like outsiders.
More than just a film about birdwatching, this is a documentary about carving out space in male-dominated communities, the joy of pursuing your interests regardless of expectations, and the quiet revolution of women reclaiming outdoor and scientific spaces.
Film Details:
Year: 2013. Length: Short documentary portrait. Language: Swedish
Theme: Gender and nature, birdwatching, outdoor culture, women in science, stereotypes
Format: Portrait documentary featuring three women
Production: Self-financed independent documentary
Keywords: Female birdwatchers, women in nature, ornithology, gender equality, outdoor culture, Swedish documentary, birdwatching, women in science, breaking stereotypes, feminist documentary, nature and gender
Target Audience: Birdwatchers (especially women), gender studies students, outdoor enthusiasts, environmental educators, feminist documentary viewers, anyone interested in women's representation in nature and science fields
Watch the film: YouTube
Water Psycho - Two-Part Art Installation & Documentary Project
A 48-hour creative experiment by art and documentary film students
What happens when art and documentary students collaborate on an intense 48-hour project? The "Vattenpsyko" (Water Psycho) project resulted in two interconnected films: the video art piece projected within the installation, and the documentary capturing its creation at Ölands Folkhögskola.
This dual-film project chronicles the collaborative chaos of making art under time pressure—the brainstorming, building, problem-solving, and creative tensions that emerge when students from different disciplines work together. The installation itself explores themes of water and psychology, while the documentary reveals something equally compelling: how collective creativity unfolds in real-time.
Project Details:
Year: 2014. Visual (installation video)
Format: Two-part installation and documentary
Theme: Art installation, creative process, collaboration, art education, experimental video
Project Duration: 2 days (48 hours)
Created by: Art and documentary film students
Location: Ölands Folkhögskola (Folk High School), Öland, Sweden
Production: Student collaborative project / Self-documented
Two Films:
Part 1: Vattenpsyko (Installation Video)
The video art piece projected within the installation
Experimental visual content exploring water and psyche
Part 2: Vattenpsyko Installation (Making-of Documentary)
Behind-the-scenes documentation of the 48-hour creative process
Shows collaboration, construction, and installation
Keywords: Art installation, collaborative art, creative process, art education, documentary film students, folk high school, Öland, Sweden, experimental art, process documentation, student project, installation art, interdisciplinary collaboration, video art, projection mapping
Target Audience: Art students, educators, documentary filmmakers, installation artists, video artists, folk high school communities, anyone interested in creative collaboration and artistic process
The Frog Paralyzed
A poetic exploration of freeze response, danger, and the moment between life and death
What does it feel like to be frozen by fear? "The Frog Paralyzed" is an experimental film that enters the consciousness of a frog caught mid-crossing on a dangerous road. Through poetic narration and intimate imagery, the film explores the psychological and physical paralysis that comes when every choice could be fatal.
The frog's internal monologue becomes a meditation on decision-making under threat, the weight of witnessing others' deaths, and the terror of being stuck in a single moment when action is needed. "I can smell my siblings on the road, crushed. I can sense their agony." The film transforms a common roadside scene into an existential crisis—a creature frozen between safety behind and safety ahead, unable to move in either direction.
More than just an animal's perspective, this experimental work touches on universal human experiences: the paralysis of anxiety, the fear of making the wrong choice, the trauma of witnessing harm to others, and the desperate wish to simply pause and breathe when the world demands action.
Film Details:
Year: 2013. Length: Short experimental film. Language: English
Theme: Fear, paralysis, decision-making, mortality, animal consciousness, existentialism
Format: Experimental narrative with poetic voice-over
Perspective: First-person (frog's point of view)
Production: Self-financed independent experimental film
Keywords: Experimental film, animal perspective, freeze response, anxiety, existential film, poetic documentary, Swedish filmmaker, wildlife mortality, road ecology, nature and death, psychological paralysis, animal consciousness, meditation on fear
Target Audience: Experimental film enthusiasts, poetry lovers, environmental educators, psychology students, anyone interested in animal consciousness, viewers exploring themes of anxiety and paralysis, art house cinema fans
Watch the film: YouTube
Diploma Thesis - Documentary Film Program, Ölands Folkhögskola, 2014
A two-part exploration of menstruation: cisgender women's experiences and transgender/intergender perspectives
What does menstruation mean to those who experience it? How does it affect their lives, relationships, and sense of self? For my diploma thesis at Ölands Folkhögskola's Documentary Film Program, I created a comprehensive two-part documentary exploring menstruation from multiple perspectives—giving voice to experiences often silenced by taboo.
The project consists of two interconnected films that together offer a fuller picture of menstrual experience across gender identities:
Part 1: Vi som blöder (We Who Bleed) - The Main Film
An intimate exploration of menstruation through cisgender women's experiences
This 28-minute documentary film delves into what menstruation means and implies for women. Through candid interviews, the film explores questions often considered too private or uncomfortable for public discussion: What was your first period like? How do menstrual products shape your experience? What is PMS really like? How does menstruation affect sex and relationships? Why is it still taboo? What happens during menopause?
By centering women's voices and lived experiences, the film challenges the silence and shame that still surrounds menstruation. It's a conversation between women about a biological reality that affects roughly half the population, yet remains surprisingly difficult to discuss openly.
Film Details:
Original Title: Vi som blöder
English Title: We Who Bleed
Year: 2014
Length: 28 minutes
Director & Producer: Zayera Khan
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Format: Interview-based documentary
Thesis: Diploma work, Documentary Film Program, Ölands Folkhögskola
Themes Explored:
First menstruation experiences and memories
Menstrual products (pads, tampons, cups) and their impact
PMS (premenstrual syndrome) - physical and emotional effects
Sex during menstruation
Partners and menstruation
Taboos and shame surrounding periods
Menopause and the end of menstruation
Part 2: Menstruation o/könad (Menstruation Un/gendered) - The Companion Film
Transgender and intergender persons' experiences with menstruation
This 7-minute short film extends the conversation to include voices often completely excluded from discussions about menstruation: transgender and intergender persons who menstruate. Three individuals share their personal experiences, offering insight into what menstruation means when your relationship to gender is complex.
For trans and intergender people, menstruation can be a source of gender dysphoria, a reminder of unwanted biological realities, or simply another bodily function. This film gives them space to tell their own stories in their own words, challenging the common assumption that menstruation is exclusively a "women's issue."
Film Details:
Original Title: Menstruation o/könad
English Title: Menstruation Un/gendered
Year: 2014
Length: 7 minutes
Director & Producer: Zayera Khan
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Format: Interview-based short documentary
Participants: 3 transgender/intergender persons
Thesis: Companion film to "Vi som blöder"
Why This Matters: Menstruation is often discussed as though it only affects cisgender women. By including these voices, the thesis project offers a more complete and inclusive understanding of menstrual experience. This erases the experiences of:
Transgender men who menstruate
Non-binary people who menstruate
Intergender persons who menstruate
Anyone whose gender identity doesn't align with "woman" but who still experiences periods
Keywords: Menstruation documentary, period stigma, women's health, transgender health, intergender, gender and menstruation, Swedish documentary, feminist film, body autonomy, menstrual taboo, PMS, first period, menopause, gender dysphoria, inclusive feminism, documentary thesis
Target Audience: Women seeking validation of their experiences, transgender and intergender communities, health educators, gender studies students, feminist activists, anyone interested in body politics and breaking taboos, sexual health educators
We Who Bleed / Vi som blöder - Diploma Thesis Documentary Project
Strawberries of Möja / Jordgubbens möja - Documentary about Strawberry Cultivation Heritage
The untold story of Stockholm archipelago's strawberry boats and the families who worked the fields
What lies behind the Swedish idyll of strawberries and archipelago summers? "Jordgubbens möja" (Strawberries of Möja) explores over a century of strawberry cultivation history on the island of Möja in the Stockholm archipelago. Through intimate interviews with those who lived and worked on the strawberry plantations, the film reveals the contrast between romantic imagery and the harsh reality of agricultural labor—including children working long hours in the fields.
For more than a hundred years, Möja's residents cultivated strawberries that were shipped via "strawberry boats" (jordgubbsbåtar) to Stockholm. It was backbreaking work requiring entire families—children included—to plant, maintain, and harvest the berries. Today, the large plantations are gone, but the stories remain, passed down among islanders who remember a way of life that shaped their childhood and community.
This documentary illuminates how the Swedish idyll of summer strawberries was built on hard labor, family sacrifice, and the transformation of an entire island's economy and culture. It's a story of agricultural heritage, childhood memories, and the price of progress as traditional livelihoods disappear.
Film Details:
Original Title: Jordgubbens möja
English Title: Strawberries of Möja
Year: 2015
Length: 18 minutes
Director & Producer: Zayera Khan
Editor: Gabriel Schock
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Location: Möja-Löka Nature Reserve, Stockholm Archipelago
Format: Interview-based documentary
Production: Independent documentary
Themes Explored:
Strawberry cultivation history (100+ years)
The "strawberry boats" to Stockholm
Child labor in agriculture
Family farming dynamics
Contrast between idyll and reality
Loss of traditional livelihoods
Archipelago cultural heritage
Childhood memories and work
Economic transformation of island communities
Oral history and storytelling
Keywords: Strawberry cultivation Sweden, Möja island, Stockholm archipelago documentary, agricultural heritage, strawberry boats, child labor history, Swedish farming, archipelago culture, traditional livelihood, oral history, Möja-Löka nature reserve, Swedish documentary, rural labor, family farming
Target Audience: Stockholm archipelago residents and visitors, Swedish cultural heritage enthusiasts, agricultural history scholars, oral history researchers, anyone interested in childhood labor, rural Swedish life, documentary audiences interested in disappearing ways of life
Liberating Paradise / Känslan av paradis - Documentary about Sweden's Feminist Retreat
A lived utopia: 30+ years of women-only space, feminist education, and collective living at Kvinnohöjden
In Memory of Monica Högling (2021) and all the women who fought for and built this association.
What does feminist paradise look like in practice? "Känslan av paradis" (The Feeling of Paradise/Liberating Paradise) offers an intimate glimpse into Kvinnohöjden—a feminist course and guest farm in Dalarna, Sweden, established in 1981. During the summer of 2014, guests and course participants share their individual relationships with this unique place where different generations of women meet, exchange knowledge and experiences, and create what they call "a sanctuary from patriarchy," "a lived utopia."
In the red wooden houses that have become "another home" for many, the farm offers courses in tango, creative writing, vegan cooking, and more. But Kvinnohöjden is far more than a vacation retreat in nature. Through shared responsibilities like cooking, regular "base groups" for circle discussions where everyone is heard and takes space, and an open atmosphere freed from hierarchies as much as possible, the community creates something rare: a space where feminist ideals are actually lived, not just discussed.
This documentary captures a summer at Kvinnohöjden, exploring what it means to build and maintain a women-only space across three decades, and why such spaces still matter in contemporary Sweden.
Film Details:
Original Title: Känslan av paradis
English Title: Liberating Paradise / The Feeling of Paradise
Year: 2015
Length: 23 minutes
Director & Producer: Zayera Khan
Editor: Hanna Olsson
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Location: Kvinnohöjden, Dalarna, Sweden
Format: Interview-based documentary with observational elements
Production: Independent documentary
Dedication: In memory of Monica Högling (2021) and all the women who fought for and built the association
Themes Explored:
Feminist separatism and women-only spaces
Collective living and shared labor
Intergenerational feminist knowledge exchange
Utopian communities in practice
Alternative to hierarchical structures
Course offerings (tango, writing, vegan cooking)
"Base groups" and circle discussions
Sanctuary from patriarchy
Rural feminist retreat culture
Sustainable community building over 30+ years
Keywords: Feminist documentary Sweden, women-only space, Kvinnohöjden, feminist separatism, collective living, women's retreat, feminist education, Dalarna Sweden, lived utopia, feminist community, women's courses, intergenerational feminism, Swedish feminism, rural feminism, sanctuary from patriarchy
Target Audience: Feminists seeking community models, women interested in women-only spaces, collective living enthusiasts, Swedish feminist history scholars, documentary audiences interested in alternative communities, anyone exploring utopian social experiments, educators in feminist studies
Shagofta's Challenge / Shagoftas prövning - A Daughter's Portrait of Illness and Resilience
Three years of intimate documentation: A mother's fight against a brain tumor and a daughter's witness to strength
What does it mean to film your own mother facing death? Over approximately three years, filmmaker Zayera Khan documented her mother Shagofta's battle with a brain tumor—the diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and profound changes that come with serious illness. This deeply personal documentary is both a daughter's love letter and an unflinching exploration of how illness transforms not just the person who is sick, but everyone around them.
"Shagoftas prövning" (Shagofta's Challenge) portrays a strong woman confronting an unexpected and life-threatening situation. Through intimate access only a daughter could have, we witness Shagofta's struggles, adaptations, and determination to make the best of circumstances beyond her control. The film asks universal questions: How do we face our own mortality? How does illness change identity? What does strength really look like when everything you know about yourself is challenged?
This is not a medical documentary or a tale of triumph over adversity. It's an honest, tender, and sometimes difficult portrait of a person adapting to profound change—and a meditation on how any serious illness affects us over time, reshaping relationships, bodies, minds, and futures.
Film Details:
Original Title: Shagoftas prövning
English Title: Shagofta's Challenge
Year: 2015
Length: 17 minutes
Director & Producer: Zayera Khan
Editor: Stina Lundkvist
Subject: Shagofta Khan (filmmaker's mother)
Filming Period: Approximately 3 years
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Format: Personal documentary / Video diary
Production: Independent personal documentary
Themes Explored:
Living with brain tumor
Mother-daughter relationship
Illness and identity transformation
Resilience and adaptation
Mortality and meaning
Family caregiving
Medical treatment and recovery
Long-term illness effects
Strength redefined
Documentary as witness and love
Keywords: Personal documentary, brain tumor, illness documentary, mother daughter, Swedish documentary, medical journey, caregiver perspective, resilience, adaptation to illness, intimate documentary, family health crisis, chronic illness, cancer documentary, Swedish filmmaker
Target Audience: People facing serious illness, caregivers and family members, medical humanities scholars, documentary students studying ethics and intimacy, anyone interested in honest portrayals of illness, healthcare providers seeking patient perspectives
🎬 Support Independent Filmmaking Content
Every film you see here was self-financed, driven purely by the belief that these stories need to be told. Your support ensures editorial freedom and allows me to dedicate the necessary time and resources to meaningful, impactful storytelling. By contributing, you directly fund the next stages of research, production, and distribution, making future projects possible.
How to Support My Work
1. Direct Donation (Immediate Impact)
A quick, one-time contribution helps cover essential operational costs, from equipment maintenance to festival submission fees.
Support via PayPal → paypal.me/ZayeraAK
2. Future Collaborations & Partnerships
I am actively seeking partners for future documentary projects that align with themes of activism, social justice, and cultural history.
If you represent an organization, cultural institution, or private investor interested in supporting or co-producing independent films with a strong social focus, please reach out.
Get in Touch for Collaborations → collabortion@zayera.com
