JAMES A. BURKHALTER
WRITER / DIRECTOR / PRODUCER
James A. Burkhalter is a Baltimore-based filmmaker, screenwriter, and educator. His directorial credits include a feature-length poetic documentary entitled There Will Be GLiTTER, as well as several shorts including Dreams Of My Father, Kween For A Day, ♥ Love, Ava ♥, and Your Inbox Is Full. His films have been honored at the Baltimore International Black Film Festival, the Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival, and the LGBTQ Unbordered International Film Festival, among others.
James produced the comedic short film, F^¢K '€M R!GHT B@¢K (2022 Sundance Official Selection), and his queer horror screenplay, "Last Call," won 2nd Place at the Baltimore Film Office's 16th Annual Screenwriters' Competition (hosted by the MDFF).
James holds a dual Bachelor of Arts in Documentary Film Studies and English from Gettysburg College and a Master of Fine Arts in Filmmaking from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). As of 2021, he is serving as the "Producer-in-Residence" for MICA's Filmmaking graduate program in Baltimore, MD.
IMANI LEIGH
CO-PRODUCER
Imani earned dual Bachelor's degrees from the University of Maryland-College Park and her MFA in Filmmaking from MICA. Imani is a filmmaker, producer, and founding member of the female owned-and-operated film production company, Boob Sweat Films. Her short film We Be The Same (2019) was an official selection at the Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival. 🏆
Imani’s biggest artistic influences are Yvette Lee Bowser, Barry Jenkins, Peter Greenaway, and Shirin Neshat, among others. Her hobbies include reading, writing, hiking, yoga, photography, oil painting, and woodworking. 🎨
Boob Sweat’s latest short, Cu Cus Clã was recently green-lit for production, surpassing all of its fundraising goals on Seed&Spark. 💰 The racially charged film, directed by Camila Franco Ribeiro Gomide, will explore the concept of “whiteness” in Brazilian culture versus American culture. 🇧🇷
JUSTIN FOREMAN
1ST DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Justin earned his Bachelor's Degree from St. Mary's College of Maryland and will graduate from MICA's Filmmaking MFA program in 2021. He is a filmmaker and DP-for-Hire serving the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.
His short experimental 16mm film, Pixel Pulp was an Official Selection at the 2020 Made In Baltimore Short Film Festival. 🎞 His short documentary, Time & Temperature, is about an aging maestro fighting to keep the Venetian tradition of glass blowing alive through two young apprentices.
A big fan of documentaries, Justin's favorites include Koyaanisqatsi and Our Daily Bread. His biggest artistic influences include Maya Deren, Bruce Connor, Kenneth Anger, and Stan Brakhage, among many others. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, photography, and searching for the best cup of coffee. ☕️
TYLER GRIMES
2ND DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Tyler earned his Bachelor's Degree in Mass/Visual Communications from York College of Pennsylvania. He is a photographer and filmmaker expected to graduate from MICA’s Photographic & Electronic Media MFA program in 2021. His favorite video artists include Nam June Paik, Timur Si-Oin, Bruce Nauman, and Peter Campus.
He is also a music lover and enjoys listening to animals as leaders, LITE, CHON, Sun Ra, and Herbie Hancock, among many others. In his free time, Tyler enjoys yoga, biking, hiking, and studying philosophy. 🧘♂️
Tyler is releasing a photo book soon—be sure to pick it up at Grimeography.com! 🤑
ANDREA TERCERO
ASSISTANT CAMERA OPERATOR / GAFFER / SLATE
Andrea earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland College Park. In addition to working in NYC, she is a freelance photographer and videographer. In her spare time, Andrea enjoys drawing, interior design, and learning new languages. Her favorite TV shows are Luther and Law & Order SVU. 🔍 Her favorite author is Roald Dahl and her favorite film director is Alfonso Cuarón.
MOHAMED SULTAN
SOUND MIXER
Mohamed is a Bahraini filmmaker expected to graduate from MICA's Filmmaking MFA program in 2021. 🎥 His short film, Rug, is a psychological thriller about a mysterious rug that threatens to tear a superstitious family apart. Moe has assisted on several other productions, including The Veil Between (2nd AC, 2020), FLICK (DP, 2020), and Window (1st AD, 2019). His biggest artistic influences include Michael Haneke, Werner Herzog, Shōhei Imamura, Naguib Mahfouz, Ingmar Bergman, Aldous Huxley, and James Joyce, among others.
PAUL MCCOY DRUTZ-HANNAHS
BOOM OPERATOR
Paul earned his Bachelor's degree from Gettysburg College and his Master's from Johns Hopkins University. His first onscreen appearance was in James A. Burkhalter's 2009 feature-length GLBTQ documentary, entitled There Will Be Glitter. Paul is an aspiring actor and standup comedian, living in the Baltimore area. Jack Whitehall and Michelle Wolf are his favorite standup performers. In his spare time, Paul enjoys tennis, computer programming, playing the cello, and exploring new places with his husband, Adam. He also loves listening to 20th century Russian classical music.
JOE CAHILL
COMPOSER
Joe is a composer living & working in the Baltimore area. He was voted “Most Valuable Musician” at his alma mater. In addition to this film, Joe’s music will be featured in two other short films from the MICA MFA showcase, FLICK and The Purgatory of Ghosts and Grief (both directed by Dem Lashawn Keilu). 👻 In his free time, he enjoys surfing. Joe’s favorite films are Grand Budapest Hotel and The Lord of the Rings, and his biggest artistic influences are Kendrick Lamar and Anderson Paak. 🎹
SYLV LITZ MARTINEZ
ART DIRECTOR
Sylv is expected to graduate from MICA’s Interdisciplinary Arts MFA program in Spring 2021. Her interests include yoga, meditation, plants, and experimental music/sound. Her biggest artistic influences are 100 gecs, Eva Hesse, Ana Kras, and Sandra Cisneros. Sylv created pieces specifically for the film (with removable parts, no less) that comment on the mental health stigma. 🧠 Find out more about her amazing work at Sylv.eco.
CHRISTINE FILS AIME
HAIR & MAKEUP
Christine Fils Aime (@krissykazmo_) is a licensed cosmetologist and entrepreneur working in the tri-state area. 🧳 Her biggest joy in life is making other people happy. ☺️ Her favorite movies are Set It Off and anything by Tyler Perry. 🍿
REBECCA MARIMUTU
DOCUMENTARIAN / SECONDARY HAIR STYLIST
Rebecca is a photographer, educator, and entrepreneur working in the Baltimore metropolitan area. She graduated from MICA's Photographic and Electronic Media MFA program in 2020. Her publishing company, Anchovy Press, was recently awarded a startup funding grant at MICA’s 2021 UP/START competition! 📚🏆👏🏾👏🏾 Anchovy Press creates fun, authentic, future-focused children’s books that center on Black and Brown experiences. Rebecca’s current guilty pleasure is the CW’s Supernatural. 👻
NATHANIEL PHILLIPS
GAFFER / SLATE
Nathaniel earned his Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from MICA. He currently works for the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC.
TERRA BLISSETT
DOCUMENTARIAN
Terra earned her Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland-College Park. She is expected to graduate from MICA’s Photographic & Electronic Media MFA program in Spring 2021. 🎓 Her current thesis project centers around the creation of UX tools that would mitigate the effects of human conflict or pain. Terra is also developing a zine that includes an interview & photospread w/ director James A. Burkhalter.
Her biggest artistic influence is photojournalist Tim Hetherington and her favorite film is Beasts of a Southern Wild (2012).
ALEX HENDERSON AKA NIKKI WOODLES
Publicity Photographer
Alex graduated from MICA's Photographic and Electronic Media MFA program in 2020. For his thesis capstone, he developed an interactive exploration of how social media platforms censor disenfranchised groups, specifically (queer) people of color—it featured his frequent collaborator, local drag queen Kelsey Kadaver.💄 Alex currently has a virtual exhibit on display at SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Gannett gallery in NYC. Alex’s biggest artistic influences include Andy Warhol, Keith Harring, Ken Russell, Dario Argento, and all of Prince’s protégés. 💜
YIFAN LUO
PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
Yifan earned her Bachelor's degree from Brown University and will earn her MFA in Illustration Practice from MICA in Spring 2021. She designed the film’s official poster, promotional materials, and the electronic press kit (EPK). She is also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and earned the ICON11 Young Professional Award in 2020. 📚
Yifan’s personal interests include visual journalism, storytelling, intersectional environmentalism, fitness, plant-based cooking, and bullet journaling, among many others! Her art is heavily inspired by pop culture and the moments in everyday life, from the mundane to the monumental. Her contemporary artistic influences include Julia Rothman, Wendy MacNaughton, and Cannaday Chapman, among others.
GILLIAN GOODWIN
BOOM OPERATOR / ASSISTANT TO MR. SHEEHAN
Gillian earned her Bachelor's degree from Kennesaw State University and graduated from the Georgia Film Academy in 2020. She is wrapping up her first year in MICA's Filmmaking MFA program. Her thesis film (to be released in 2022) explores the long history of medical experimentation and exploitation of black bodies, especially women. Her filmmaking idols include Ava DuVernay, Steven Spielberg, and Spike Lee. In her spare time, she likes to read, listen to music, and spend time with her family. Although she hasn’t appeared in any films, if you look closely, you might spot her in a 2001 episode of MTV’s Total Request Live featuring Janet Jackson. 📺