Johnston’s state visit to India in 2014. At this time, India and Canada signed an audio-visual co-production agreement to enable film producers to tap into various incentives and tax breaks offered by both governments. The diplomatic mission of the trip is outlined here. Synopsis Selvi, like so many girls living within India’s patriarchal culture, is forced to marry at a young age, only to find herself in a violent and abusive marriage. One day in deep despair, she chooses to escape, going to a highway with the intention of throwing herself under the wheels of a bus. Instead she gets on the bus, choosing to live… and goes on to become South India’s first female taxi driver. We first meet 18-year-old Selvi at a girls’ shelter in 2004 – timid, soft-spoken, a fresh runaway from a difficult life. Over a ten-year journey, we see a remarkable transformation as Selvi finds her voice and defies all expectations – learning to drive, starting her own taxi company, leading seminars to educate other women, and much more. This character-driven story highlights the challenges that millions of devalued women and girls in India face. In a society where women are often considered expendable or worthless, Selvi refuses to accept this estimation for herself, moving beyond the pain she's experienced to create an entirely new life. Through Selvi's eyes, the audience is taken on an intimate journey of healing, overcoming obstacles, and fulfilling dreams. And throughout this journey, Selvi's unwavering spirit shines through. Wildly charming (without even realizing it), remarkably strong, and utterly courageous, by the end of the film Selvi speaks almost as a sage or our wisest teacher, sharing important, hard-won secrets about happiness and life. Reception The film had its world premiere at Raindance Film Festival. Paloschi has stated "I didn’t set out to make films that would send a message, but I gradually realised that I was drawn to people who had a spark in their soul and a powerful impact on those around them." Indie Wire called DWS an "inspiring story". The Toronto Film Scene echoed that it was inspirational, also writing "Her growth and transformation is an inspiring one as she changes from an eighteen-year-old soft-spoken runaway, to a woman finding her voice and refusing to surrender to the limitations that society attempts to force upon her." Paloschi was included as a delegate because of her work on DWS