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Filmmaker Jasmine Weiner

JAX BROADS, Director/Editor

I've worked as an independent film editor for over 20 years with a proclivity for character and authenticity. With the emergence of 'reality' tv, my documentary jobs were few and far between. I missed cutting and watching true stories. I'd always danced as a hobby, and in 2004 a friend suggested we take a Bollywood dance class. I was immediately seduced by the combination of technique, grace and narrative that characterized this style. While the dancers were of many ethnic backgrounds and welcoming to all, they were predominantly of South Asian descent. I was astounded at the commitment so many of these hard-working mostly corporate professionals were willing to make for a 'hobby.' What I discovered in them was a longing to connect with their past that didn't contradict their present. I created "Bollywood, NYC" to share this engaging and infectious art form with a broader audience.

RABIA SULTANA, Producer

Rabia is a British-Pakistani Archaeologist turned Filmmaker. She has worked as both producer and assistant director on several projects including the feature films "Extra Innings", "Angelfish" and "Truth about Santa Claus".

Her documentary work includes “Contrôle d'Identité” and “Children of Chile”.

Rabia was raised on Bollywood movies, and international cinema has influenced her approach to storytelling. She is excited by “Bollywood, NYC” which raises cultural issues while still celebrating the South Asian community.

MATT LAVINE, Producer

Matt produced the award-winning theatrical and PBS-broadcast feature documentary film, "Four Seasons Lodge". He coproduced the award-winning nationally theatrically released feature doc, "Tying the Knot".

Matt’s love of Bollywood started by attending NYC’s downtown ‘Desilicious’ queer/South Asian dance parties in the 2000s.

JENNIFER COX, Director of Photography

Jennifer is a filmmaker with a background in both Architecture and Fine Art.

Her award-winning work has aired on National Geographic, The History Channel, ESPN, LifeTime and Odyssey Network

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SANDHYA JAIN PATEL/CULTURE PRISM 
DEI/Cultural Consultant

Sandhya was with the department of Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art at Christie’s New York for 13 years, culminating as VP and Department Head. She was the Executive director of Wrightwood 659 and DEI Manager at Lucasfilm. Her company, Culture Prism, provides insight and guidance on diversity, inclusivity, and authenticity

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KELLY HARGRAVES, Advisory Board

Kelly Hargraves is a dance film creator and curator. She co-founded the Los Angeles festival of dance film in 2001 and was named the Executive and Artistic Director of Dance Camera West in 2018. She has been a board member of the Silver Lake Film Festival and the Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival. She has been a dance reviewer for Eye Spy LA, Dance Insider, Ballet-Tanz International, Danceonline.com, Cover Magazine and Dance Connection Magazine.

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VALERIE SOE, Advisory Board

Soe is an award-winning filmmaker, artist, writer and educator.

Her experimental videos, installations, and documentary films have received dozens of awards, grants, and commissions, and have exhibited at venues such as the J. Paul Getty Museum in LA, the Museum of Modern Art, and the New Museum in NYC, on cable and broadcast television, and at film festivals worldwide.

Her feature documentary, LOVE BOAT: TAIWAN, was released in 2019.

She currently teaches courses in Asian American film history, media production, and photography at San Francisco State University.

DP Joia Speciale

JOIA SPECIALE, Director of Photography

Joia was nominated for an Emmy for her cinematography on the A&E TV series "Intervention". Documentary films include: "A Hole In The Sky" and "Robin Hitchcock: Sex Food, Death … and Insects". She has worked for Sundance Channel and Discovery, shot an episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s web series "Comedian’s in Cars Getting Coffee" and taught cinematography for the graduate documentary program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City

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NIRAJ CHAG, Composer

Niraj is a London-based composer and artist whose work spans from albums, to film scores, theatre and live events.

 

He composed the Emmy Award winning and Bafta Nominated "The Power of Art, The Age of Terror" (2008), "Darwin’s Dangerous Idea" (BBC2, 2008), "Origins of Us" (2011) and "The Rise of the Continents" (BBC/Discovery Channel, 2013).

 

He created a piece using over 600 musicians and vocalists for the 2008 official Olympic Torch event on London's South Bank, and composed the music for the West End Bollywood musical "Wah! Wah! Girls"

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JAPJIT KAUR, Lyricist

Japjit is a prolific singer-songwriter and actor. She is a nominee

for the Karamveer Chakra award and the UK Bhangra award. 

Japjit's work includes the multi award winning play Nirbhaya. She has recorded and written on several critically acclaimed albums including The Lost Souls and Mud Doll by Niraj Chag.

Additional Crew:

 

Cinematographers:

Craig Marsden 

Amy Bench

Tabha Joshi

Andreas Vingaard

Piibe Kolka

Additional Photography:

Arati Menon

Lisa Futterman

 

Editor:

Jessie Weiner

 

Sound Mixer:

Dayana Capulong

 

Choreography:

Pooja Narang

Seema Iyer

Payal Kadakia

Rehan Qureshi

Ruby Verma

Chandan Hingorani

Saroj Khan

Sonia Mukherji

Aditya Madiraju

Mary Saragoussi

 

Additional Dancers:

Aalia Ali

Ricki Bagwah

Andrea Beeman

Patricia Belmont

Hallie-Simone Bolden

Kristin Carey

Resha Chandak

Elise Cuevas

Shobita Das

Raviraj Gulrajani

Mickela Mallozzi

Anusha Rao

Sitij Agrawal

Vikas Sharma

Harteg Wariyar

Chatur Advani

Mohsan Seed

Kate Hamilton

Brad McVetta

Naleena Ramchandani

Mehak Punatar

Maki Nakano

Priyanka Patel

Khyate Dave

S. Lalitha Cosme

Jeremy Davidson

Devon Lubar

 

Joan Caddell & The Midnight Choir:

Joan Caddell

Scott Caddell

Dave Stoler

Sal Azzarelli

Nicole Asserelli

Robert Bocignone

 

Special Thanks:

Geeta Iyer

David Boyer

Chaia Heller

Meryl & Steve Weiner

Pooja Bakri

Aneesha Balchandani

Mridu Chandra

Duana Butler

Sandi Dubowski

David Thorpe

Jennifer Perrotta

Padmini K. Aiyer

Uma Swaminathan

Navatman

Gibney Dance

Ripley Grier

Champions Dance

DanceSport

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