A Shot at History

Directed by Erika Cohn Produced by Rajal Pitroda

2024 | 23 minutes | English

After leading her all-female team to develop a lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Nita Patel returns home to India to fulfill a childhood promise she made to her father and heal the parts of herself she sacrificed along the way.

SYNOPSIS

Though her work saves millions, Nita is haunted by the memory of her father and undertakes an emotional journey back to India, seeking to heal past wounds and grieve her late parents after decades away. Incorporating universal themes of identity, the American dream and family legacy, A SHOT AT HISTORY explores the profound intersection of personal sacrifice and global impact. The film also serves as an essential entry point into conversations about women’s contributions to science and the need for diversity in scientific research.

SCREENING HIGHLIGHTS AND AWARDS

  • Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival 2025
  • Kerala Short Film Festival 2025
  • RiverRun International Film Festival 2025
  • Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival 2025
  • AmDocs Film Festival 2025
  • Best Short Documentary at the Phoenix Film Festival 2025

ABOUT FILMMAKER(S)

Erika Cohn

Erika Cohn is a Peabody, Emmy and DGA Award-winning filmmaker who Variety recognized as one of 2017’s top documentary filmmakers to watch and was featured in DOC NYC’s 2019 “40 Under 40.” Most recently, Erika directed and produced the New York Times Critic’s Pick and Peabody Award-nominated Belly of the Beast, featuring the 2021 Oscar shortlisted original song, “See What You’ve Done” by Mary J. Blige. This powerful exposé of human rights abuses in women’s prisons opened in theatres and was broadcast on PBS’ Independent Lens series last fall. Her current releases also include The New York Times Op-Docs short film, What You’ll Remember, a beautiful portrait of a family who reframes their experience of homelessness, now playing in theatres and at major film festivals. Previously, Erika directed and produced The Judge, a Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-nominated film about the first woman judge appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a courts, which premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and was broadcast on PBS’ 2018 Independent Lens series. She also co-directed and produced In Football We Trust, an Emmy Award-winning feature documentary about young Pacific Islander men pursuing their dreams of playing professional football, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and was broadcast on PBS’ 2016 Independent Lens series. Her work has been supported by IFP, the Sundance Institute, Tribeca Institute, Chicken & Egg, Hot Docs, ITVS, Women in Film, Fork Films, SFFILM, IDFA and BAVC, among others. (7/25)

Credits: 

Director:  Erika Cohn 

Producer: Rajal Pitroda 

Producer: KRISTIN MARION 

Executive Producer: SUSAN NEISLOSS 

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