Rashmi Rustagi

Rashmi Rustagi

Writer, Producer

Rashmi is a passionate filmmaker devoted to producing films that drive social change. Her self-financed, award-winning SAG film Unborn casts a spotlight on the issue of female feticide and is available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
Her latest project, Designed By Preeti, tackles domestic violence and aims to uplift survivors. Completed filming in January 2024, it’s currently undergoing post-production. Rashmi brought together a skilled team, secured filming sites, and arranged funding. She’s now focused on gathering resources for post-production, with many friends and family rallying around her cause.
In essence, Rashmi leverages her filmmaking talents to confront and raise awareness of vital social challenges, proving her to be a significant influence within the film industry.
Her unwavering commitment to telling stories that matter underscores her role as an impactful force for change.

Gayatri Everitt Bajpai

Gayatri Everitt Bajpai

Director

Gayatri Everitt Bajpai is an award-winning director raised in Delhi and based in Vancouver and Los Angeles. She won UCLA Directors’ Spotlight Awards for two of her short films, MUCK (2013) and Housewarming (2017), and produced Francis Ford Coppola’s Live Cinema (2017), a documentary about Coppola’s project Distant Vision. Gayatri was one of three directors on the anthology feature, Rio (2017), executive-produced by James Franco. Gayatri and her co-director Nirav Bhakta won HBO’s 2019 APA Visionaries Competition with their film Halwa (2018), which garnered awards at festivals around the world, was licensed by HBO, and launched on Disney Plus in India.
Most recently, she directed Yatra (2022), a short film that blends the mythical world of the Ramayana, with one immigrant’s experience in modern-day America. The film has won Best Director at the Mumbai Indian Cine Film Festival and the Toronto Feedback Female Film Festival in 2023.
Gayatri holds an MFA in directing from UCLA.

Arati Misro

Arati Misro

Producer

Arati Brings 20 years of experience in the Entertainment, Tech, Education & lifestyle business. Her expertise includes Feature films, TV, product sales & startups. She has worked with Sony Pictures Fox, Netflix, Paramount and Apple, to name a few.
Arati’s experience in foreign and domestic sales allows her to have a strong sense of the marketplace. She has worked in Operations for theatrical distribution for several studios including Sony, Fox, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Universal Pictures and the NFL.
Arati produced a podcast for diverse women and sold it to Warner Music India. She developed an animation IP for children in South Asia. She has judged for various international film festivals and is currently a Juror for the Hungarian Film Festival of Los Angeles.
Her Extensive experience with Silicon Valley startups was a great training ground, working alongside product managers from Google, Apple and many other individuals in the tech world.
Her experience chairing Women in Film, LA has allowed her to hone in on her passion for mentoring and giving voice to countless women worldwide. and was recognized by President Obama.

Priyanka Paranjape

Priyanka Paranjape

Producer

Priyanka Paranjape was born and raised in Mumbai, India, and now is a San Francisco local. After receiving her M.A. in Communication and Journalism from the University of Mumbai, she kickstarted her career with television. Her first big project was the Indian version of the popular quiz show ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire,’ where she worked as a content creator and researcher. She worked on multiple seasons as well as regional versions of the show.
While working on digital content and television, she focused on production and was an OTT crime series executive producer.
Priyanka got her second M.A. in Broadcast and Electronic Communication from San Francisco State University and started working as a producer for feature and short films. In 2022, one of her projects was nominated at the IndieX Film Festival, winning Best Male Director and Best Child/Young Actress of 2023. She aspires to bring the same level of finesse to big and small productions and is particularly interested in bringing South East Asian stories to the screen.

Wendy Moulton Tate

Wendy Moulton Tate

Co-Writer

Wendy’s screenwriting journey took flight after her fascination with the OC Roller Girls inspired her to write the feature Derby Queen which placed her as a finalist in Launch Pad and Screencraft Comedy Feature Competitions and was recently optioned by Iris Indie. Her specialty is feature-length dramedies and pilots that feature comically flawed protagonists with a heart. Wendy is an LA Emmy award-winning producer and a finalist in Page International Screenwriting Competition, BlueCat, and Screencraft Family Friendly Screenwriting Competition.

Lokesh Babu Akula

Lokesh Babu Akula

Cinematographer

Lokesh Babu Akula is a visionary cinematographer with an unwavering commitment to the art of visual storytelling. Raised in Hyderabad, India, he holds a Diploma in Cinematography from the Recording Radio Film Connection & Casa School (2019) based in Las Angeles.
He is known for his ability to transform any genre into a mesmerizing cinematic experience. With an innate understanding of light and composition, he crafts captivating visuals that enhance the emotional depth of the project. Notable works include “Capture” (2022) which is showcased on Amazon Prime and “Ghosted” (2023) which promises to be a testament to Lokesh’s craft and is a pivotal element in the success of this gripping crime thriller.

Tanya Momi

Tanya Momi

Producer

Tanya Momi, an inspirational artist known for her diverse work in realism, cubism, abstract, social realism, and spiritual art, draws deeply from her life experiences. Born in India and a Fine Arts graduate from Chandigarh, Tanya moved to the U.S. after marriage. Surviving over nine years of marital abuse, she divorced and focused on raising her children and building a business in Silicon Valley, pausing her painting for 22 years. Encouraged by friends, she resumed her art, turning her painful journey into a source of inspiration. Her series on the suffering of a single, divorced woman features impactful pieces like “When Friends Turn Their Backs” and “Beaten but not Broken.” Tanya’s work, which also explores the theme of women’s suffering globally, has led her to speak on women’s empowerment and leadership at prestigious venues worldwide, including the White House. Her story is one of resilience, empowerment, and the transformative power of art.