2021 BREAKING THROUGH THE LENS
FINALIST PROJECTS
HoVER OVER PHOTOS TO REVEAL DETAILS
Elizabeth Woodward, Producer
Elizabeth Woodward is an independent producer from New York City and founder of Willa Productions. Current projects include ON THE DIVIDE about three people whose lives intersect at the last abortion clinic on the US/Mexico (Tribeca 2021), The Othrs and Vice Studios’ YOU RESEMBLE ME, and ANOTHER BODY a film about deepfake image based abuse. Past projects Netflix’s THE GREAT HACK (Oscars shortlist, Primetime Emmy nominee, BAFTA nominee, IDA nominee, Cinema Eye winner, Sundance premiere), HBO’s hit documentary series THE VOW: A NXIVM STORY; AFTERWARD (Executive Produced by Abigail Disney); PERSUASION MACHINES (Sundance New Frontier) a VR experience narrated by will.i.am, PBS American Masters’ BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY, and a film with Fareed Zakaria by the CNN Documentary Unit. Her projects have premiered at Sundance, Tribeca, AFI Docs and Sheffield Doc Fest and have been supported by Film Independent, Sundance Institute, Tribeca Institute, Bertha Foundation, Artemis Rising, Field of Vision, Level Forward, The Gotham, and the New York Foundation for the Arts. She is a member of the Documentary Peer Group at the Television Academy (Emmys), the Documentary Producers Alliance, and the Young Professionals Group at the Council on Foreign Relations, and was selected for Berlinale Talents 2021. She graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Brown University and received a masters with distinction from the University of Cambridge.
CAIN AND ABEL
DRAMA | EGYPT, FRANCE, USA
The fates of two French-born Muslim Arabs born in the same neighborhood collide as they find themselves on opposite sides of the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack, as police officer and terrorist. Who are these men beneath their uniforms? How many degrees of separation really exist between them?
Interested to meet with: Investors, grantors, and industry leaders who can broker strategic connections for the film.
Dina Amer, Writer / Director
Dina Amer is a filmmaker and investigative journalist. Growing up between the US and Egypt, her work has focused on sharing nuanced, intimate and humanized stories in the Middle East with a global audience. She experienced Egypt’s revolution on the frontlines for three years producing Academy Award-nominated and three-time Emmy-winning documentary THE SQUARE, the story of revolutionary Egypt beyond the news headlines. Dina has produced several documentaries for CNN and PBS. Her work has been published in The New York Times, CNN and the Huffington Post. She produced and was the correspondent on several films for VICE, including BLACK MARKET, during which she uncovered the human trafficking of Syrian refugees, and explored the underground economy of illegal Egypt-Gaza tunnels. Her directorial debut YOU RESEMBLE ME is an intimate lens into radicalization that explores the mirrored lives of a would-be suicide bomber and her surviving sister.
DirECTOR:
DINA AMER
pRODUCER:
ELIZABETH WOODWARD
Emma Comley, Producer
Emma is an LA-based producer with over 25 years of experience in the industry. In 2012, she co-founded Blonde to Black Pictures in London - their progressive and diverse slate of films includes titles like Buttercup Bill, Set The Thames On Fire, and Two For Joy - all garnering festival plaudits and achieving worldwide distribution. She was the former Head of Production and Executive Producer at Flynn Productions - where she produced videos for the likes of Foo Fighters and Jay-Z, while boasting commercial credits for leading brands including Nike, NTC, Smirnoff, and Nokia. She has recently formed production outfit Hooligan Dreamers Productions with producing partners Jaime King and Sola Fasheun - with a focus on developing and producing stories for both screen and television with a fearless and sensitive approach that speaks a truth not always voiced.
FERAL
PSYCHOSEXUAL THRILLER, HORROR, magical realism | USA, INDIA
The arrival of a lover/shaman scholar on a colonial estate in 1950's India, causes two tribal maidservants to a sadomasochistic English Madame to transgress - as they slowly take over the house and reclaim their lost wild mystical selves.
Interested to meet with: Sales companies, EU/CA Co-Producers and/or production companies who seek to finance socially relevant projects with an appreciation for an up-and-coming auteur voice.
Nihaarika Negi, Writer / Director
Nihaarika is an International multi-award winning actor, an immersive theatre-maker and an independent filmmaker from India. Lying at the intersection of performance, magical realism and contemporary folktale - she tells stories that allow us to reclaim those parts of ourselves we try so hard to erase. Stories that capture our imaginative potential for healing and change. Through this, she seeks to make space for diverse female-identifying South-Asian voices in a sustainable international context. She holds an MA in Physical Performance and Actor-Training (University of Exeter, UK), where she has trained under master practitioner Phillip Zarrilli in the psychophysical acting methodology - which uses principles of meditative martial arts practices to train artists, create work and direct ensembles. Her work in film and theatre has been described as ‘revelatory and thoroughly riveting’ (Laurence Kardish, MOMA) and work ‘that stands at the cusp of what could be an artistic breakthrough for Indian theatre’ (The Hindu). An alum of Berlinale Talents 2021 and winner of the XR Market Award at NewImage Festival (Paris), her work has been supported by Sundance Institute + Women In Film, FACE Foundation (US), IFFR’s Cinemart, Venice Film Festival Development Labs and Gap Financing Market (Italy), French Ministry of Culture -CNC, UK Arts Council, Roundhouse Theatre, SPILL Festival (UK), Serendipity Arts Festival and NFDC Film Labs (India). Her films have been screened at New York Indian Film Festival, Austin Indie Meme Festival (US), London Asian Film Festival (UK), Mumbai Film Festival (India), Women Make Waves Film Festival (Taiwan); and broadcast on platforms like Channel 4 (UK), Disney+’s Star Gold & Hotstar (India) and Amazon Prime (US/UK). She holds an MFA from the Peter Stark Producing Program (University of Southern California, US), where she’s worked at places like MACRO, Amblin Partners, Bona Fide Productions and IFFLA.
DIRECTOR:
nihaarika negi
PRODUCER:
emma comely
Don Handfield, Timothy Linh Bui and Tony Bui, Producers
Handfield produced THE FOUNDER starring Michael Keaton and KILL THE MESSENGER starring two-time Academy Award nominated actor Jeremy Renner. He is currently producing SWITCHED ON at Focus Features with Marc Platt (LA LA LAND, CHICAGO 7) and GRAVE HILL with CJ Entertainment (PARASITE). Handfield is the co-creator and Executive Producer of the History Channel series KNIGHTFALL and wrote and directed the Saturn Award-winning film TOUCHBACK starring Kurt Russell. Handfield’s comic THE RIFT was optioned by Steven Spielberg and produced as the season finale of the Amazing Stories reboot on Apple +, for which Handfield also wrote the teleplay. He is a partner and board member of Scout Comics & Entertainment and teaches TV Writing in the Professional Program at UCLA. Tim co-wrote and co-produced THREE SEASONS, starring Harvey Keitel and is a triple award winner at the Sundance Film Festival. Tim followed up with his directorial debut on GREEN DRAGON, the film world premiered at Sundance in Dramatic Competition and is the recipient of the Humanitas Prize Award. Bui went on to make such films as the Spirit Award Nominee OWL AND THE SPARROW, INSIDE OUT, POWDER BLUE, starring Jessica Biel, Eddie Redmayne and Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, THE THROWAWAYS for Sony Crackle, starring James Caan and Kevin Dillon. Tony's films include Yellow Lotus, Three Seasons, Green Dragon and The Throwaways and has been nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards and received the Grand Jury and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. He is also a recipient of the Humanitas Prize. Tony is a graduate of the Sundance Institute's Screenwriting and Directing Labs. Tony has written and developed projects for NBC, Warner Bros and HBO, and is currently adapting Lac Su's memoir I Love Yous Are for White People into a feature film.
IDOL
DRAMEDY, MUSIC BIO-PIC | USA
A music biopic about William Hung, the 21-year-old Asian kid whose infamous failed audition on American Idol of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" catapulted him into the American zeitgeist.
Interested to meet with: Equity Financiers, Debt Financiers, Studios, Production Partners, Distributors, Foreign Sales Reps
Tricia Lee, Director
Recognized as one of Hollywood’s top new writers, Tricia Lee has been named on the 2020 Black List, CAPE List, Young & Hungry List, Athena List and BitchList. GOOD CHANCE, her feature script being produced by Janet Yang (The Joy Luck Club) was a semifinalist in The Academy Nicholl Fellowship, grand prize winner Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope Screenplay Competition, top 14 finalist Universal Studios Writer's Program, winner Cinequest Best Feature Screenplay, winner WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Features, and selected for the prestigious Producers Guild of America Power of Diversity Master Workshop. Currently, she is attached to direct a feature produced by Viola Davis’ company JuVee Productions and will be directing a William Hung (American Idol) biopic which she also wrote and is being produced by Don Handfield (The Founder), Tony and Tim Bui (won Sundance Grand Jury Prize & Audience Choice Award). Lee has directed 3 award-winning features including BLOOD HUNTERS, which sold to Hulu and was presented in Cannes by Frontieres and SILENT RETREAT, which was theatrically released across Canada and sold to NBC Universal’s Chiller Network.
DIRECTOR:
TRICIA LEE
PRODUCERS:
DON HANDFIELD
TIMothy linh bui
TONY BUI
Oliver Sunley, Producer
A founding parter of C24 Films Ltd, Oliver has produced a large body of UK and European productions that have reached over 100 festival screenings including Austin, Sarajevo and New Orleans. A London Film School graduate, he is an alumnus of Edinburgh Talents (2019), Berlinale Talents (2020) and a current member of BFI Network x BAFTA Crew. Having produced a large body of films which have screened at BAFTA and Oscar Qualifying festivals, he is currently developing LAYLA IN DREAMLAND with the support of the BFI.
LAYLA IN DREAMLAND
DRAMA | UK
Layla is a 60-year-old Syrian refugee relocated to the seaside town of Margate with her undocumented granddaughter, Ritaj. Sharing a room in a halfway house for refugees, she struggles to build connections until she meets Femi, a young boy who teaches her to skateboard.
Interested to meet with: Equity Investors, Financing Companies, Distributors, Sales Reps
Celine Cotran, Writer / Director
Celine is an award-winning British-Lebanese writer and director with a slate of female- driven, children’s and young adult projects for Film and TV. She is currently developing LAYLA IN DREAMLAND, a coming-of-age drama exploring UK migrant culture. With early development funding from the BFI, the project is being mentored by Will Clarke (Altitude Film Entertainment) and was selected as part of Edinburgh International Film Festival Talents 2019 and Berlinale Talents 2020. The project was developed from her most recent short, LAYLA, which is currently on a strong festival run having won and been nominated for awards at a number of Academy Qualifying festivals. Her children’s drama, THE TIME TREE, was funded by the Doha Film Institute and made in association with the Academy-award winning Trademark Films. Premiering at Sarajevo Film Festival, it is now available online through Omeleto, receiving over 280K views. THE EDGE OF HOME, funded as part of Club London’s Film Emerging Creative scheme 2019, is a documentary exploring the lives of refugees in London. Recently completed, the film is about to begin its festival run. Celine’s TV projects include children’s animation, MICE OF THE UNDERGROUND and YA comedy/drama, FIRST BLOOD. A London Film School graduate, she is part of Directors UK Access and Inclusion committee and will be shadowing BAFTA winning director Andy De Emmony on ITV’s THE LARKINS. Her favourite filmmakers are Guillermo Del Toro, Billy Wilder, and Agnes Varda. She is represented by Katie Langridge at Knight Hall Agency.
DIRECTOR:
Celine Cotran
PRODUCER:
OLIVER SUNLEY
Sam Levy, Producer
Sam first gained recognition with Kelly Reichardt’s Wendy and Lucy - voted one of the “Best 25 Films of the 21st Century” by The New York Times. He went on to shoot three films for Noah Baumbach: Frances Ha, Mistress America and While We’re Young. His recent films include Lady Bird - nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture - as well as two projects for director Spike Jonze: Changers and Untitled Frank Ocean Project. Sam produced and photographed Mayday, Karen Cinorre’s feature. The film was shot in Croatia and world premieres at Sundance 2021.
RHYTHM IN BLUES
drama | USA
Aging out of a broken system, three foster siblings’ paths from East New York—school, service, streets—are detoured when mothers reappear, forcing them to lean on African rhythms and heal their own wounds without benefits.
Interested to meet with: Creative Producers, Equity Investors and individuals who are impassioned to lead the charge towards attaching top tier talent and financing for 2022 production.
Tamika R. Guishard, Writer / Director
Tamika’s first-generation American born of Kittitian & Nevisian heritage in East New York, Brooklyn. With the mind of a Park Ranger, heart of a teacher and soul of a dancer, she taught middle school before completing NYU Graduate Film. She believes in powerfully fusing education and cinema, collaborating with school districts, Tribeca, and on Leech Lake Reservation for “films that help”. Her forthcoming feature, "Rhythm in Blues” is supported by Rooftop Filmmakers Fund, Digital Bolex’s Women Cinematographers Grant, and NYSCA. Recognized by Oscar-qualifying festivals, its proofs of concept were shot, directed, written, and co-produced by its Black women’s team. Tamika’s an inaugural fellow with Athena Film Festival's LA Writers Lab, Residency Unlimited, and one of two non-Canadians with Black Women Film Canada! at TIFF. Profiled in Shadow and Act's and her alma mater Phillips Andover, as a trailblazer, she’s won the Governor's Office's "Celebrate Equality NY”. Tamika’s ideated social justice new media content for NYC youth employment, and interactive curricula for Ghetto Film School with WarnerMedia & AT&T as a certified Minority and Women-owned business enterprise. The first Black Communications professor at Adelphi University, and Director of Communications & Development for Mastery Transcript Consortium, a movement to holistically value the whole child, she shot her most recent short at Lower Manhattan’s African Burial Ground.
DIRECTOR:
TAMIKA R. GUISHARD
PRODUCERS:
SAM LEVY
Camille Gatin, Producer
Camille's feature debut, The Girl With All The Gifts, has earned her a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding Debut, as well as a win with the BIFA Breakthrough Producer Award and an Empire Award nomination for Best British Film. The film was directed by Colm McCarthy and written by Mike Carey, and stars Glenn Close, Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine, Anamaria Marinca, introducing 12 year old Sennia Nanua. The feature was financed by the BFI, Creative England and Altitude and was released in the UK by Warner Bros. The world premiere took place on opening night at the Locarno International Film Festival. Locarno International Film Festival - Opening Night Toronto International Film Festival - Midnight Madness Busan International Film Festival Sitges - Winner Best Actress for Sennia Nanua Frightfest - Surprise Screening Austin Fantastic Fest - Winner Best Horror Director for Colm McCarthy In 2014, Camille produced the second season of Endeavour for ITV, the reboot of Inspector Morse, which consists of 4 x 90 minute films, directed by Kristoffer Nyholm (The Killing), Giuseppe Capotondi (Venice film festival winner La Doppia Ora), Andy Wilson (Ripper Street) and Geoff Sax (White Noise). Camille Gatin's feature, Shadow Dancer, directed by Oscar winning director James Marsh, and written by Tom Bradby, starring Andrea Riseborough, Clive Owen and Gillian Anderson, was released by Paramount in the UK in summer 2012. Shadow Dancer premiered at Sundance 2012 and is out of competition at the Berlin Film Festival 2012.
STAMPEDE
THRILLER, SCI-FI | USA
On a plantation in 1802 Georgia, a young slave girl named Lena has telekinetic powers she cannot yet control. When she is separated from her mother and moved into the Big House, Lena must grapple with the danger of her gift as well as its potential.
Interested to meet with: Equity Investors, Financing Companies, Distributors, Sales Reps
Sontenish Myers, Writer / Director
Sontenish is a Jamaican-American writer-director based in Harlem, NY. She is a graduate of NYU's Graduate Film program where she’s now an adjunct professor. Her most recent short film, Cross My Heart, has screened all over the world. It was awarded the Alexis Award for Best Emerging Student Filmmaker at Palm Springs International Shortfest for the short. Cross My Heart was also included in Refinery29's list of The Most Exciting Woman-Directed Films at the 2018 Palm Springs Shortfest. Cross My Heart won the Vimeo Staff Pick Award at Hamptons International Film Festival for its “outstanding performances from its two young leads and a nuanced directorial approach.” Sontenish's feature film, Stampede, was accepted into the 2021 Sundance Screenwriting Lab, 2021 Sundance Directing Lab, 2021 Sundance Producing Lab, 2019 HIFF Screenwriting Lab, Film Independent Screenwriting Lab and IFP Week 2019. It is also a selected script on the Black List, and a recipient of SFFILM’s Rainin Grant, the Filmmakers First Fund and the Tribeca All Access Grant.
DIRECTOR:
sontenish myers
PRODUCER:
camille gatin
Leah Chen Baker, Producer
Leah is an MFA candidate in Filmmaking at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Her writing and directing work has been awarded by AT&T, WIFTA and selected at Oscar-qualifying festivals. She is the 2020 recipient of The Robert Oberman, Gregory Pickert and Media Services Producing Award and a member of the Producers Guild of America. Her credits include the award-winning short, YOUTH (SXSW) and feature, HER COMPOSITION (Austin Film Festival). Previously, Leah was a production manager for shows on History, HGTV, A&E and MTV and served on the Board of Directors for Women in Film Dallas. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago in Economics and Cinema and Media Studies.
THE LEFTOVER LADIES
COMEDY | EGYPT
A 60-something woman tries to leave her polygamous husband after he expresses a renewed commitment to their stale relationship.
Interested to meet with: financiers, investors, sales agents, and potential co-producers (especially in Europe) who have an interest in Arab cinema.
Farida Zahran, Writer / Director
Farida is an Egyptian writer/director based in Brooklyn, working across film and TV. She is currently a staff writer on RAMY (A24 & Hulu). Her last short film, YOUTH, premiered at SXSW in 2019 and screened at festivals worldwide. It received an Oscar-qualifying award at Palm Springs ShortFest, was awarded the IFP Student Film Award at the 2019 Gotham Awards, and is a Vimeo Staff Pick. Farida was also selected for the 2019 NYFF Artist Academy and served on the jury for the 2020 edition of the Palm Springs ShortFest. She is a graduate of NYU Tisch's Graduate Film Program. Farida is currently in development on her debut feature as well as a dark comedy musical that she is set to direct in 2021.
DIRECTOR:
FARIDA ZAHRAN
PRODUCER:
LEAH CHEN BAKER
Romy Waller, Producer
Romy started her career in music video and multi-cam production over 11 years ago, and since has worked within advertising, animation, television and film. Previously she has worked at Unanimous Entertainment as a Development Associate on films such as ‘The Childhood of a Leader’ which went on to win multiple awards at Venice Film Festival. Romy has also been funded by the BFI, Barbican and the BBC for her narrative work. One of her most recent films screened at the Barbican as part of ‘The Smalls’ Festival, along with another project premiering at the BFI Southbank which went on to be broadcasted on BBC4. Over the past year and a half Romy has been a Scripted Development Producer within Warner Music Entertainment, the new creative production arm to the Warner Music Group. Her focus within the company is to develop both scripted and documentary feature films with music as a central theme.
THE TIDES
drama | ENGLAND
While a British carer must prove she’s adult enough to care for her Nan, an Iraqi boy must prove he’s a child to gain asylum.
Interested to meet with: Equity Investors, Financing Companies, Distributors, Sales Reps
Isla Ure, Writer / Director
Isra writes and directs for both theatre and the screen and her work has gained recognition from the British Film Institute, Papatango, Sherman Theatre, BAFTA Rocliffe, and Toronto Independent Film Awards. She has two short films being released this year: BFI funded Reprise and Genera Films funded Canvey Island. Her debut short film Passengers gained a BFI Future Film nomination and her micro-budget feature Halcyon Heights won best feature at the International Film Festival of Wales and came in the top three at TIFA. Her feature screenplay The Tides was recently shortlisted for the 2020 BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing prize, and was also a semi-finalist in Ava DuVernay’s ‘Diverse Voices’ and Final Draft’s ‘Big Break’ screenwriting contests. She recently won the iFilmThings and Final Draft short screenplay competition with The Conversation and is currently funded by Ffilm Cymru to develop her feature film R.A.G.E. She was 1 of 5 selected for the New Welsh Playwright programme with the Sherman Theatre (Best Regional Theatre 2018) in 2018 and her full-length play Observations of a Sparrow went on to read at Theatre 503. It also came in the top 1.5% of plays read in the Papatango playwriting competition and is currently long listed for the Traverse Playwriting award. Darkling Sky, her first full-length play was the top 5 in the Bread & Roses Playwriting competition and the top 12 at Bristol Old Vic Open Session, 2018. Her short play NEON was performed alongside Ruth Jones’ work at The Other Room theatre. Isla is also a John Brabourne award winner and is represented for theatre, film and TV by Nicky Lund at David Higham Associates.
DIRECTOR:
ISLA URE
PRODUCER:
ROMY WALLER
Anand Ramayya, Producer
Indo-Canadian filmmaker and producer Anand Ramayya founded Karma Film Inc. in 2001 to focus on original content from original voices. Combining a passion for humanist, inclusive stories Karma has built an impressive track record with over 75 hours of completed content and 40 awards including 6 Geminis/Canadian Screen Awards (Canada’s Emmy) which include 2 Canada Awards for excellence in diverse content. Karma projects range from live action feature films to animation and documentary. Notable projects include “Wapos Bay” the ground-breaking indigenous stop-motion animation which premiered at Sundance and following a successful series run went onto win Best TV Movie at the Kidscreen Summit in New York, International doc “Cosmic Current” winner of the Gemini Canada Award, Interactive feature doc “Who Killed Gandhi?” nominated for 2 CSA’s and included in the Best in Canada Showcase at MIPDOC, Theatrical feature film “Brotherhood” starring Jake Manley(The Order, Midway) winner of the 2020 CSA for Best Visual Effects (SPIN VFX) and most recently Shadow of Dumont official selection at ImagineNATIVE 2020. Ramayya is currently in pre-production on feature dramedy INDIANS IN COWTOWN with Agam Darshi (Colossal, The Good Doctor) for Telefilm Canada, Level Film, Sasktel Max Equity and Superchannel slated for production in January 2021. Notable development projects include feature documentary THE ART OF DANCE with Kevin Fitzgerald (Freestyle : The Art of Rhyme - HBO documentary award winner) – Bell Media / Crave Original Commission & Mongrel Media, Animated feature TRUTH ABOUT MONSTERS with Anita Doron (Oscar nominee for THE BREADWINNER) – Mongrel Media. The Boyfriend w/ Director Ashim Ahluwalia (Miss Lovely – Cannes 2012). Ramayya is an alumni of CFC, TAP, NSI and a recipient of the 2020 Trailblazer Award presented by Reelworld.
THE TRUTH ABOUT MONSTERS
Animated SCI-FI | CANADA, INDIA
A family of aliens have been stranded on Earth since crash landing their space ship. Pete, a loner and nerdy indigenous boy discovers the monsters he has always read about are actually aliens and only he can help them return home. "This is a love letter to kids aching to belong."
Interested to meet with: Foreign sales agents, and co-production partners in Europe, and Latin America.
Anita Doron, Writer / Director
Born into a family of mountaineering engineers in Transcarpathia, Anita Doron made her very first film at age twelve. The environmental protest piece raised the ire of the Soviet bureaucracy and taught her the power of visual storytelling. Since then, her movies have screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, SXSW and at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The Lesser Blessed, which she wrote and directed, received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Anita is a Senior TED Fellow, an initiative bringing together international visionaries – scientists, artists, activists, entrepreneurs, journalists and inventors – to collaborate across disciplines to create positive change around the world. As part of her fellowship, Anita has created a memory-based experience at the 2014 TED Salon in Berlin, and, in 2016, a creative workshop for TED Fellows in Monterey, California. Through the support of the Guggenheim Foundation, she is collaborating on a sci-fi graphic novel with Senior TED Fellow Jessica Green. With Suleiman Bakhit, another TED Fellow and 2016 WEF Young Global Leader, Anita is working to prevent violent extremism through stories of heroism inspired by mythology and narratives of hope and tolerance. Most recently Anita wrote the screenplay for the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated "The Breadwinner", an adaptation of a novel by Deborah Ellis, executive produced by Angelina Jolie and produced by Aircraft Pictures, Cartoon Saloon and Melusine Productions. Anita won a Canadian Screen Award and was nominated for an Annie Award and a Humanitas Prize for her work on the film.
DIRECTOR:
ANITA DORON
PRODUCER:
ANAND RAMAYYA
Nerenda Eid, Producer
Nerenda has been at the helm of commercial productions with top industry leaders for over a decade, with a focus on branded, digital and multi-platform entertainment. From producing commercials, brand activation and experiential, Nerenda has been the producer behind several award-winning campaigns, and remains as a go-to producer for global agencies and brands alike. She is known for her forward-thinking approach and extensive network, having worked with clients including Moncler, GE, Nike, Givenchy, P&G and MGM Resorts. She has applied her expertise, eye for talent and attention to detail in her approach to independent narrative and now documentary film.
UNTITLED UNDERGROUND RAILROAD RIDE
DOCUMENTARY | USA
Five Black and Brown cyclists set off to traverse a route that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. Over the course of 17 days, the continuous threat of the road transforms the story from an ambitious athletic feat into a thought-provoking, complex tale of heart versus mind.
Status: principal photography has been completed, and we have secured all of our key characters and locations, we are planning to conduct final in-depth reflection interviews with the cyclists and then enter post-production.
Interested to meet with: Post-production and distribution partners, equity investors, sales agents and distributors.
Fiz Olajide, Writer / Director
Fiz is a New York based filmmaker, directing and producing documentary films independently and for global brands. Her films combine both composed and observational techniques, always striving to preserve the emotion of a lived encounter. Equal parts vérité and cinematic, her work is informed by a love of still photography - each frame should tell a complete story. A careful curation of beautifully considered visuals and intuitive storytelling has driven the creative thinking on collaborations with the likes of Google, Uber and Brand USA, across a variety of film projects and garnered recognition from SXSW, New York Film Festival, DOC NYC, Vimeo Staff Picks, among many others. Fiz has filmed across continents in countries from Amsterdam and Hong Kong to Russia and Colombia, and has brought stories to life that cover wrongful conviction, drag king culture and domestic violence. In an era of great social division, her ultimate mission as a Black female filmmaker is to create art that gives real dimension to our ideals, and to amplify and uplift undiscovered voices and experiences.