CAST

CREW

portlynn tagavi

Portlynn is a half Persian, half African American writer/director.

She has just received her Masters in Directing at AFI where she developed her skills as a writer and director for narrative film.

Originally from Houston Texas, Portlynn moved out to California in 2010 to study Character Animation at the California Institute of the Arts. During her studies, she interned with Pixar Animation Studios where she developed her skills in visual language and narrative structure.

Before attending AFI she spent three years working professionally as a Character and Story Artist for Fox, Paramount, Psyop, the Jim Henson Company (SPLASH AND BUBBLES) and DreamWorks (TROLLS: THE BEAT GOES ON!) before making the jump to live action directing.

Her short film THEY WON’T LAST has been recognized by festivals such as LA Comedy Film Festival - (Best Director Winner), First Glance Film Festival - (Audience Award For Best Comedy Winner), Prague International Indie Film Festival - (Best Student Female Director Winner), Pensacola Indie Fringe and Comedy Festival - (Best Director Winner & Best Relationship Comedy Winner), and College Television Awards - (Best Comedy Short).

Currently, Portlynn is set to shoot her next film We’re Gonna Die Alone in May 2022 as well as hit the festival circuit for her most recent film Out of Tune. She is also in development on her feature script Hot Cocoa.

erika hamilton loubek

Erika is a writer, actress whose award-winning script Out of Tune, is now a proof-of-concept film making waves on the festival circuit.

 Originally hailing from small town Ohio, Erika’s first moment in the spotlight came as a Cincinnati sports reporter. From there her journey has flourished on a number of ever-expanding stages. As a New York Knicks City Dancer, it was under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden that Erika was discovered. She was prominently featured in iPod ads and her solo role opposite Bob Dylan, was noted in Steve Job’s biography as the most important commercial of the era for Apple. On screen, Erika has worked with some of the biggest and most renowned directors including Martha Coolidge, Mark Romanek, Fredrik Bond, Tony Kaye, Paul Hunter, Eliot Rausch and Anne Fletcher to name a few.

 Erika has since carried her New York hustle to Hollywood, the grandest stage of all. Writing and producing stories that highlight the awkward joys and tensions shaped by her unique worldview. Erika, an inaugural member of Amy Aniobi’s TRIBE writing-mentorship program, enjoys baking, wine and quoting old-school romantic comedies.  She currently lives in Santa Monica Canyon with her two children and her husband. In a stand against becoming fully cliché, Erika refuses to own a dog. For now.

ALEXIS BOOZER STERLING

Alexis is a storyteller dedicated to bringing underrepresented voices to the forefront to expose, educate and empathize. A long-time collaborator with Kalilah Robinson, she attended Stanford University (BA, Drama '04; Evelyn M. Draper Prize for Performance), where both her production work and research included interdepartmental studies (Political Science) to explore theatre as a tool for social change and international development. Her work as a performer and production manager spans almost 20 years of theatre, film and digital productions. As a creative producer with [Door Flies Open], Alexis develops, directs and produces diversity-promoting content with unique and important viewpoints. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA and the Director’s Guild of America. Alexis lives in Los Angeles with her husband, actor Maury Sterling, and their son, Ford Bryant.

KALILAH ROBINSON

Kalilah is an award-winning cinematographer and filmmaker. Born and raised in Bermuda, Kalilah attended Stanford University and is a graduate of AFI’s Cinematography Master’s Program. Experienced in a multitude of positions in the industry, cinematography has always been Kalilah’s abiding passion. It is cinematography that has taken her from the Bay area, to London, Lagos, Paris, Bermuda and back again. Currently, Kalilah is based out of Los Angeles, CA where she continues to freelance as a Cinematographer and Producer. In 2017 she was a Film Independent Project Involve Cinematography Fellow. Most recently, Kalilah shot the feature American Murderer starring Ryan Phillippe and Idina Menzel.

danny cistone

Danny has over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry. As a performer, director and designer, he has worked with some of the most illustrious names of stage and screen, on big budgets and no budgets…

An East Coast native, Danny’s experience in nearly all aspects of filmmaking, and his ability to communicate across departments, enables him to design with flexibility, mindfulness, and a passion for creating a world that is not just a backdrop, but a character in and of itself. He has embraced the challenges of shooting an entire season on location with limited budgets and time (Final Witness - ABC/ Disney, School Spirits - SyFy). His flashy, exuberant designs have been seen on giant stadium screens (Katy Perry’s Candifornia Tour, The Eagles’ History of the Eagles Tour and Pink’s European Tour). He has artfully executed the vision of the first SAG deaf director for a feature film (No Ordinary Hero) and his stage sets have won numerous accolades (multiple Ovation and LA Drama Critics Circle nominations).

Danny’s consistent delivery of something remarkable from nearly nothing, his ability to budget, design, build and prioritize, all while bringing a collective vision to life, make him a go-to choice for production companies of all shapes and sizes.

tari wariebi

Tari is a first-generation Liberian, Nigerian American filmmaker from Philadelphia, PA. He is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he was a McNair Scholar and found his passion for filmmaking. Instead of turning in a research presentation for his final project, Tari created a feature-length documentary on Urban Renewal and gentrification in Syracuse, NY.

A class of 2020, Directing Fellow at the American Film Institute Conservatory, Tari is preparing to direct his thesis film, “We Were Meant To,” a coming-of-age tale set in a world where black men have wings. Additionally, Tari has recently completed directing the entire first season of a new health and wellness series for Youtube starring artist Common called “Com + Well” that is out now.