Director / Writer:
Jahmil Eady is an award-winning writer, director and producer from Charleston, SC and NYC. Her work blends genre with social impact and often features people in futuristic or fantastical environments. She is a director in the AFI DWW+ class of 2025.
Eady earned her BA in Media Studies from Pomona College and studied at the Prague Film School in the Czech Republic. Eady holds an MFA in Directing from UCLA where she was the inaugural Graduate Class Artist, representing over 14,000 Bruins for the class of 2023. She is also the Princess Grace Foundation's inaugural Sir Roger Moore Honoree in Filmmaking.
Eady began her career in unscripted film and television and was an associate producer on documentary projects for the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), Viceland and Discovery Networks. Collectively, her short films have screened at over 50 film festivals worldwide, including several Academy Award® and BAFTA-qualifying film festivals. Her work has been supported by Film Independent, Plate Spinner Productions, Peace Is Loud, rePROFilm, New Filmmakers Los Angeles’ NewNarratives Program and the Rhulen Family Foundation among others.
Eady's other distinctions include The New York Times Award, The Jackie Robinson Foundation Award and the Four Sisters Award bestowed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, Sara Finney-Johnson, Mara Brock Akil and Felicia D. Henderson.
Producer:
Tara Austin is a Los Angeles-based film producer. Having lived and worked in Montréal, Berlin, London and Goa, she is drawn to telling stories with global appeal. Austin is an AFI Producing Alum, (MFA 2022) an avid cinephile and motorcycle enthusiast. Her short films, AVES, RINGING ROCKS, and DOG LOVER all have had lengthy & successful film festival runs, winning numerous awards both in the US and abroad. Her most recent producing project(s) include FREE BENCH MUST PICK UP TODAY, starring Hunter Doohan, and MADE IN USA, starring Maria Zhang. Austin holds a special place in her heart for challenging, thought-provoking stories and she takes pride in producing films that are both intriguing and visually stimulating.
Cinematographer:
Pip K. White is a London born Cinematographer and Photographer. She studied fine art at the renowned Central Saint Martins, and with the support of BAFTA studied her Masters in Cinematography at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. She learned the art of lighting during her near decade of experience as an Operator, Camera Assistant, and DOP Technical Assistant under the tutelage of award winning DP's Caroline Champetier (Annette), Ben Davis (Dr Strange) and Philippe Rousselot (Fantastic Beasts) amongst others. Pip has since gone on to shoot music videos, commercials and features with her work screening in competition at SXSW, Tribeca, Camerimage and AFI Fest.
Impact Producer:
Farida Rafique is a Los Angeles-based Impact Producer who draws inspiration from her years in refugee support work. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Media Management from California State University, her passion for storytelling intertwines with her commitment to Human Rights advocacy. Farida has produced impactful videos and art installations, including "Love Letters to an Addict," addressing opioid addiction, and micro-documentaries for the Human Rights Initiative. She also co-produced a documentary on the Family Separation Crisis on the Texas-Mexico border. She participated in Film North's Socially Conscious Filmmaking Lab ('20) and Women in Media's Camaraderie Accelerator ('21). Farida has produced social impact campaigns for projects such as "Moon," “The Magic Ticket,” and the recent Oscar-shortlisted film “Bienvenidos a Los Angeles.” Farida hosts and executive produces the empathy and impact-centered podcast, “The Slow Dive.”