Negine Jasmine Sekandari is a filmmaker, photographer, and writer based in Los Angeles. She was raised in Sedona, Arizona but her ancestral roots in Afghanistan inspire her storytelling in which she blends humor and romanticism with community and beauty at its heart.

Recently, Negine's been flirting more with the world of acting and comedy.  She has appeared in music videos and most recently was in a short film by Ramadan America. In 2023, Negine debuted her very first hour of comedy titled Did You Mean Engine? as part of the Elysian Theater’s annual Spaghetti Festival. In 2022, Negine co-curated a film festival in Los Angeles, where she debuted her film Fariha, a short film that serves as a moving photograph and depicts the relationship between her and her grandmother. The film is currently on the international film festival circuit. Negine is the founder of Space for Us Journal, an online web-series which highlights passionate women of color who are pursuing their creative dreams.

She follows the teachings of filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, who described art-making as a responsibility, an analysis of individual human experience, and as a way to find oneself within that subjectivity.

Ayda Rojhantalab is an Iranian American filmmaker and production designer based in Seattle, WA. She received degrees in Film Studies and Comparative Literature from the University of Washington, with an additional focus on experimental and digital art. With a deep passion and acute interest in both the natural and visual world, she also found herself drawn towards studying the art of taxidermy and decided to study at the Montana School of Taxidermy and Tanning, furthering her keen eye for both science and visual precision and replication. Ayda’s taxidermy work was exhibited at Glass Box Gallery in Seattle, alongside visual artist Lars Bergquist. Presently, Ayda is studying ceramics with a focus on hand building and sculpture and has taken a tremendous love for this medium as well.  Equipped with an intrinsic love of creating, Ayda applies the technical skills and knowledge accumulated from working across artistic mediums, to designing visually and emotionally resonant films. 

Ayda works in the commercial and narrative film and photography worlds, as a production designer, set decorator, and prop master.  Some of her narrative credits include the HBO series, Three Busy Debras, Lynn Shelton’s Outside In, Richard Linklater’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette?, and Charles Mudede’s Thin Skin. Some of her national commercial credits includes work with directors Jeff and Tim Cronenwerth’s campaign for Mazda, Hiro Murai’s Seahawks x Nike campaign, Stacy Wall and Linus Sandgren’s campaign for Ford, Mahfuz Sultan’s Nike x AF1 campaign, and Cole Santiago’s Starbucks x Vanity Fair documentary. 

Ayda’s passion for film extends beyond design, sets, and props as she delves deeper into screenwriting, directing, and cinematography. Through all her artistic endeavors, Ayda is most fascinated with exploring human experiences and emotions and continuing to find beauty within a world that can be both devastating and hopeful.

Tara Violet Niami is an Iranian British-Australian American cinematographer currently based in Los Angeles. Tara holds a BFA in Fine Art Photography from Pratt Institute and a Masters in Cinematography from American Film Institute Conservatory. She has also taught at Chapman University’s Dodge Film School. 

Narrative and documentary short films shot by Tara have screened in festivals around the world. Slashr, a queer horror short film Tara was the cinematographer of, screened in festivals including Screamfest, Mix Brasil, and Santiago Horror Film Festival in 2023. Who Do You Protect? screened in competition for best US Documentary Short Film at the 2021 Palm Springs International Short Film Festival. 

Tara’s debut feature film as cinematographer, psychological thriller Eye Without A Face directed by Ramin Niami of Sideshow, Inc., was released in 2021 in Eastern Europe (HBO Central), in the US & Canada and the UK. Tara’s music video and fashion film work has virtually premiered at London Fashion Week, on platforms like Billboard Magazine, and was featured in a TedTalk.

An award-winning published fine art and fashion photographer, Tara did the production still photography for Focus Features’ The Mustang, starring Matthias Schoenaerts and co-starring Bruce Dern, which premiered at the  2019 Sundance Film Festival and won a Silver Clio for its poster featuring Tara’s photography. 

The daughter of an immigrant independent filmmaker with a background in documentaries, Tara was inspired from childhood to be a curious storyteller with a passion for social justice. 

June Hucko is a multi hyphenated artist that finds beauty in the special small details and spur of the moment whims that call us to create. Her curiosity has led her to try many different mediums including art direction, movement, music and storytelling. Through any medium, her  biggest passion is working on stories that explore our connection to nature, our traumas, our coming of age, and our family ties. 

Through working in the film industry in art direction and prop making, she learned the importance of the way in which a story and an aesthetic connect to one another. She has worked on projects such as Raven Jackson's All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (2023) and Victoria Rivera's Lucia (2021) and many others which have found great success in the film world. Every film that she has worked on has taught her that a great story is built from the inside out and the people you work with matter. 

Starting her production company, Tubberware, in 2023, June Hucko pivoted to be more involved in the creation of films and art which put a special focus on the people involved, and establishing safe, loving environments.  She believes that the work day should be shortened and that film industry creatives have a right to a personal life and for the productions to take excellent care of their crews. She is excited to see what new stories come out of this approach, and what will be possible when more consideration is given to all artists.

Coral Worley (she/her) is a writer/director, creative entrepreneur, and producer originally from Portland, OR. Her passion for storytelling thrives on collaborating with talented creatives to weave narratives that are both intimate and character-driven, masterfully striking a delicate balance between humor and drama.

Currently serving as the Executive Producer of the global music docuseries, Yūgen, Coral directed the pilot episode featuring artist Lucia Tacchetti in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her film, When We Were Friends, was honored with a Best Drama nomination at Cannes Shorts Awards. Coral gravitates toward narrative-driven stories that delve into the intricacies of coming-of-age, mental health and the existential crisis of the human condition.

Coral’s role as a producer extends beyond conventional boundaries, as she has championed bilingual short films that delve into unexplored perspectives. Known for her affinity for ambitious passion projects, Coral navigates the challenges of production with a keen entrepreneurial focus, ensuring that each project brings fresh narratives to the forefront.

A graduate of Emerson College, she holds a BA degree in Media Arts Production, complemented with an entrepreneurial focus. Beyond her professional endeavors, Coral finds joy in crafting YA novels, playing the tenor saxophone, and occasionally revisiting her rusty barista skills. Her commitment to genuine storytelling and her appreciation for the collaborative nature of the creative process define her journey in the film industry. Coral Worley remains grateful for the opportunities to contribute to meaningful narratives while staying grounded in the humble pursuit of artistic expression.