Interview – ‘Middle Life’ Director Pavan Moondi Returns to His Independent Roots

Canadian filmmaker Pavan Moondi has built his career by embracing the possibilities of independent filmmaking. After spending years developing ambitious projects, Moondi found himself returning to the style of filmmaking that first inspired him, creating heartfelt stories with limited resources but with unlimited creativity.

His latest feature, Middle Life, follows Andie, a tightly wound wedding planner and a new mother whose life changes after she saves a free-spirited plumber named Ryan from a serious car accident. The chance encounter sparks an adventurous year that forces both characters to confront the paths and romantic stagnation in their lives. Blending humor with emotional honesty, the film explores the complexities of modern relationships and the search for fulfillment in your mid-30s.

Produced on a $70,000 budget, Middle Life was filmed over just 15 days across Toronto and Los Angeles. For Moodni, the project represented more than another feature film but it was an opportunity to return to the collaborative, micro-budget filmmaking approach that launched his career while applying the experiences he has gained over the years.

I spoke with Moondi about his journey into filmmaking, the inspiration behind Middle Life, the realities of independent filmmaking, and the lessons he hopes aspiring filmmakers will take away from his experience.

KAYLA BARNES: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

PAVAN MOONDI: I always grew up watching a ton of movies and television. When I was in high school, I actually wanted to work in television more than film. My friends and I would write TV pilots together during lunch and shoot little videos whenever we could. I eventually went to school for economics because it seemed like the practical choice, especially growing up in Canada, where a film career felt pretty far away.

Eventually, I realized it wasn’t the right path. Around that time, there was a wave of micro-budget filmmakers making movies for almost nothing that were still distributed. Seeing that inspired me to buy a camera and teach myself how to shoot and edit.

KAYLA BARNES: Was there a specific film that made you want to become a filmmaker?

PAVAN MOONDI: Surprisingly, not really. The movies I loved were films I admired as a fan. The films that actually inspired me to start making movies were low-budget independent films because they showed me that filmmaking was something I could realistically teach myself. They proved you didn’t necessarily have to go to film school or have millions of dollars to tell a story.

KAYLA BARNES: What inspired the story behind Middle Life?

PAVAN MOONDI: I’d spent years trying to make progressively bigger films, but once you start trying to make movies that cost several million dollars, you’re relying on a lot of things outside your control. I had projects fall apart because of COVID, the writers’ strike, and executives leaving companies.

Eventually, I realized I wanted to go back to making something smaller with friends, where I had more control over the process. At the same time, I had been rewatching a lot of romantic comedies from the 80s and 90s. I wanted to make something that captured the warmth and emotional honesty of those films rather than trying to reinvent the genre.

KAYLA BARNES: Middle Life was made on a $70,000 budget. What were some of the biggest challenges?

PAVAN MOONDI: The entire movie cost $70,000, which is pretty wild considering it opens with a car accident and takes place in two different cities. We filmed in Toronto and Los Angeles, so it was an ambitious script for the resources we had.

The biggest advantage was that our crew was small. We could be flexible and rely on people we trusted. It reminded me a lot of how I first started making films.

KAYLA BARNES: What was it like filming in both Toronto and Los Angeles?

PAVAN MOONDI: We shot for 10 days in Toronto, then took about a month off before filming another five days in Los Angeles. During that film the Los Angeles scenes, I knew exactly what the movie still needed. That kind of flexibility is something you usually don’t get on larger productions.

KAYLA BARNES: How has the response to the film been so far?

PAVAN MOONDI: It’s still early, but it’s exciting. We’ve played several festivals across Canada, and we had a theatrical release there in April. Our U.S. theatrical release is coming at the end of July. The theatrical run isn’t really where independent films make their money anymore, but it helps build awareness before VOD and other distribution opportunities.

KAYLA BARNES: Do you already know what you want to make next?

PAVAN MOONDI: I have several scripts ready to go, but I’ve learned not to become too attached to any single project because filmmaking is unpredictable. The project you think will happen next often isn’t the one that gets made. Right now, I think my next film will probably be a Christmas movie.

KAYLA BARNES: What advice would you give aspiring filmmakers?

PAVAN MOONDI: Learn how to edit. Even if someone else edits your films, you should understand how editing works because it completely changes the way you direct. On Middle Life, we only had 15 shooting days, and I was editing the movie in my head while we filmed. That helped us know exactly which shots we needed and which ones we didn’t.

I also think directors should understand as many jobs on a film set as possible. On a micro-budget film, you’re constantly wearing multiple hats. The more you know about producing, editing, production design, and every other part of filmmaking, the better prepared you’ll be to bring your vision to life.

This interview has been edited for length, clarity, and formatting. Some responses may have been condensed or lightly modified to improve readability while maintaining the original intent.