Team
Director, Producer & Cinematographer
Brittany Shyne is an independent filmmaker based in Dayton, Ohio. Working in the narrative and non-fiction artform, her work seeks to depict the complexity of everyday life by examining themes such as personal histories, alienation, and cultural modernization. By utilizing observational techniques and poetic language, her films lyrically weave together frameworks of race, class, culture, and family lineage. She also works as a cinematographer on films such as THE DEBUTANTES (Tribeca, ‘24), THIS TIME, THIS PLACE (Tribeca, ‘21), and Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar’s academy award-winning film AMERICAN FACTORY 美国 工厂(Sundance ‘19). Shyne was the recipient of the 2021 Artist Disruptor Award from the Center of Cultural Power. Her debut feature SEEDS has received institutional support from Sundance, Black Public Media, Cinereach, ITVS, IDA, Doc Society’s Threshold Fund, Just Films | Ford Foundation, BAVC, The Flies Collective, The Puffin Foundation, The Points North Institute and SFFILM. The film has also participated in the inaugural PROGRESSIO lab in conjunction with ICA London and Cineteca Madrid, True/False’s PRISM program, Open City’s Assembly Development Lab, and the Catapult & True/False Rough Cut Retreat. She is an alumni of the Chicken & (Egg)celerator Lab and was a Firelight Media Documentary Fellow (2020-2022). Shyne received her MFA in Documentary Media from Northwestern University and a BFA in Motion Pictures from Wright State University.
Producer
Danielle Varga is an award-winning nonfiction producer who has been working in documentary film for the past decade. Through her production company, Walking Productions, and collaborations, she focuses on bold and boundary pushing films. Her producing credits include Brett Story’s critically acclaimed THE HOTTEST AUGUST (True/False 2019, Grasshopper Film, PBS Independent Lens), Todd Chandler’s BULLETPROOF (SXSW 2020, Winner of Hot Docs Best International Filmmaker Award), Vicky Du’s LIGHT OF THE SETTING SUN (Full Frame and IDFA 2024, PBS Independent Lens) and Rachel Elizabeth Seed’s A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY (True/False 2024, Winner of Film Independent’s Emerging Filmmaker Award). Varga was also co-producer on Zackary Drucker and Kristen Lovell’s Peabody winning THE STROLL (Sundance 2023) and Kirsten Johnson’s Oscar-shortlisted film, CAMERAPERSON (Sundance 2016). She has also produced a number of programs for television, including a recent hour-long episode for PBS’s series Art in the Twenty-First Century. Varga was a 2016-2017 Sundance Creative Producing Fellow and was selected in DOC NYC’s inaugural “40 under 40” class. She’s been an advisor for Sundance, a mentor for emerging filmmakers, and a consultant.
Producer
Sabrina Schmidt Gordon is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and impact strategist from New York City. Since her Emmy-winning editing debut, Sabrina has distinguished herself as a leading voice in the field as a producer, editor and director. She is a Women at Sundance Fellow, recipient of the Dear Producer Award recognizing excellence in independent filmmaking, the Reel Sisters Trailblazer Award, and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Through her production company, Vespertine Films, her work continues to amplify marginalized and unique voices, push creative boundaries, and illuminate issues that impact our global society. Sabrina is the producer of many critically-acclaimed films, including the Sundance films QUEST, TO THE END, and 2024 Emmy winner VICTIM/SUSPECT. Sabrina’s feature directing debut, which she also co-produced and edited, is the Emmy nominated BADDDDD SONIA SANCHEZ, for which she won the ADFF Best Director Award. She is the producer and editor of both HIP-HOP: BEYOND BEATS AND RHYMES, a Sundance premiere named on MSNBC’s 10 Most Important Black Films of the Decade, and DOCUMENTED, which had record-breaking viewership on CNN. Other credits include Peabody Award winner BELLY OF THE BEAST, CUSP, and BLACK GIRLS which was also in competition at Sundance this year in the BrandStorytelling section. Sabrina is a sought after panelist, consultant, mentor, film juror, and is a recognized fieldbuilder as president of the Black Documentary Collective and member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia.
Editor
Malika Zouhali-Worrall is a British/Moroccan filmmaker based in New York. Her films examine the intimacy created by networks of care and community, whether through art, caregiving, or political action. She is co-editor of the 2024 Sundance film UNION directed by Brett Story and Stephen Maing which won the U.S Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art of Change. As An Emmy Award-winning director, her directing credits include the feature-length documentaries, CALL ME KUCHU (Berlin Film Festival, Netflix, BBC World, 2012) and THANK YOU FOR PLAYING (Tribeca, POV/ITVS, News & Television Emmy Award, 2015), both of which were theatrically released to critical acclaim in the U.S. Malika’s short form directing credits include the web series EARN A LIVING for French broadcaster ARTE (IDFA, 2018), and her recent short for PBS American Masters, STRANGE GRACE: THE ART OF AMYRA LEÓN (2020). In 2022, Malika’s latest short film, VIDEO VISIT, will screen at SXSW, following festival screenings at AFI Fest, BAM Cinemafest, Blackstar Film Festival, and New Orleans Film Festival. Malika’s episodic and short form directing credits include an hour-long episode of the long-running TV series Art in the Twenty-First Century, which broadcast nationally in June 2023, as well as her recent short documentary Video Visit (2022), which was released by Field of Vision. Malika is a 2019 Chicken & Egg Awardee, a 2020 Sundance Momentum Fellow, a 2020 William Greaves Award recipient, and a 2021 Adobe Women at Sundance fellow.
Composer
Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe (b. 1975) is an artist, curator and composer that works primarily with, but not limited to voice and modular synthesizer for sound works in the realm of spontaneous music. Along with analog video synthesis exploration, he has produced a series of A/V works focused on live performance and installation/exhibition. As of late Robert has focused his aleatoric practice on composition for film and television, both in solo scoring and collaboration. Over the last several years Robert has collaborated on projects or provided sound in a featured artist capacity for such films as END OF SUMMER, SICARIO, ARRIVAL, LAST AND FIRST MEN with Johann Johannsson, and IT COMES AT NIGHT ith Brian McOmber. In recent years Robert has scored CANDYMAN“Candyman” for Nia DaCosta, THE COLOR OF CARE and POWER for Yance Ford, MASTER for Mariama Diallo, GRASSHOPPER REPUBLIC for Daniel McCabe, docuseries TELEMARKETERS, “UNION” for Brett Story and Stephen Maing, THE MAN IN MY BASEMENT for Nadia Latif, LIFE AFTER for Reid Davenport and SEEDS for Brittany Shyne.
Sound Designer & Re-Recording Mixer
Daniel Timmons is an Emmy-winning sound supervisor and mixer based in New York City. In his 15 years in the New York film scene, Dan counts amongst his collaborations such esteemed documentarians and filmmakers as Alex Gibney, Liz Garbus, Thomas Kail, and Derek Cianfrance. Daniel has been recognized for his exceptional work, having received nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards for WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE? and GOING CLEAR: Scientology and The Prison of Belief. Additionally, he has been nominated for two MPSE Golden Reel Awards, one for WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE? and the other for music editing on Disney’s HAMILTON. For his sound design on director Liz Garbus’ biopic film BECOMING COUSTEAU, Dan was a finalist for a 2022 HPA Award. And in 2019, he was the recipient of the George Foster Peabody for his work on Emelie Mahdavian’s MIDNIGHT TRAVELER. Daniel’s recent credits include RaMell Ross’ NICKEL BOYS, Jesse Eisenberg’s A REAL PAIN, Jane Schoenbrun’s I SAW THE TV FLOW, Kelly Reichardt’s SHOWING UP, Ray Romano’s SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS, and HBO’s TOKYO VOICE. Most recently, Daniel won a 2024 Primetime Emmy for Best Sound Editing for his work on Ron Howard’s JIM HENSON: IDEA MAN.
Sound Designer
Ben Kruse is a Chicago based sound engineer that for many years has worked across film, podcast and musical mediums as a sound editor, sound designer, sound effects editor, re-recording mixer, foley editor and composer. More than anything else, as it pertains to his work, he loves crafting intricate and detailed soundscapes that help paint emotional canvases. He also deeply values community engagement and is passionate about fostering collaboration and engaging in thoughtful dialogue with fellow creators and humans alike. Although fully immersed in the U.S. his roots are also firmly planted in the country of Bolivia—which he considers to be home. Beyond sound, his various other passions include watching soccer games, photography, singing, playing guitar, and writing short essays in Spanish.
Executive Producer
Maida Lynn is the founder of Facet, which embraces creative non-fiction filmmaking by visionary artists with unique aesthetics, pushing the cinematic form and exploring universal and timeless themes. She executive produced THE SEND-OFF (Sundance '16, SFIFF, SXSW, AFI Fest), and co-produced THE RABBIT HUNT (Sundance and Berlinale '17) and ROADSIDE ATTRACTION (TIFF, SXSW). Maida is the producer of the short film SKIP DAY, which premiered at the Directors' Fortnight and was released by The Guardian. Her credits as Executive Producer include Sam Green's live documentary, A THOUSAND THOUGHTS (Sundance '17), THE HOTTEST AUGUST (True/False '19), and THE TUBA THIEVES (Sundance '23). The feature documentary Maida produced, PAHOKEE, premiered at Sundance 2019. In 2022, she launched an award for independent producers in partnership with Dear Producer. Maida proudly serves on the board of directors of the Roxie Theater in San Francisco, CA.
Executive Producer
Leslie Fields-Cruz is the executive director of Black Public Media, the nation’s only nonprofit solely dedicated to the development of nonfiction Black content for distribution on public media. Leslie joined BPM in 2001 to manage its program development fund. She served as director of programs from 2005-2008 and as VP of programs and operations from 2008-2014 before being named BPM’s third executive director in 2014. Leslie is the creator of BPM’s award-winning anthology series, AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, now in its 14th season, which features contemporary stories from the African diaspora. Under her leadership, BPM has cultivated new partnerships, diversified revenues, and initiated vital new programs (360 Incubator+, PitchBLACK Forum & Awards, BPMplus, and the Black Media Story Summit) that support Black talent and content development. In 2021, Leslie was named to Crain’s New York’s list of Notable Black Business Leaders. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley (BA) and NYU (MA), she is a board member of New Era Creative Space, and in September 2022, was named board president of New York Women in Film and Television.