Alex Aljouni - Writer & Director
Alex Aljouni is a Syrian director and screenwriter based in Los Angeles, California.
Growing up in Syria during the war, Alex turned to storytelling as a means of processing and articulating experiences that later shaped her cinematic vision. She recently graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television from UCLA, where she was a Regents Scholar and received notable accolades, including the UFVA Carole Fielding Grant and the Antonio Blanco Award.
Her work, often exploring identity, resilience, and societal dynamics, includes short films and social dramas focusing on complex relationships. Alongside her creative pursuits as a director, Alex works as a freelance photographer, collaborating with notable clients such as AFI, UCLA Athletics, and the Ballet Company at UCLA.
With a perspective shaped by her heritage and personal journey, Alex is dedicated to leveraging the visual medium to unearth once-buried stories and give voice to those often left unheard.
Adrian Clark - Producer
Adrian Clark is a Latinx producer who recently graduated as the Valedictorian from UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television.
Starting his college career as a theater director, Adrian fell in love with creating, developing, and inspiring new works for the stage and screen. He found a passion in producing, making it his mission to give people from all walks of life the same opportunity he wished he had.
In the past year, he produced two UCLA thesis films and served as the line producer on an AFI thesis project. Adrian has also gained valuable experience as board president in a non-profit organization, and since then, he has integrated this professional experience into his journey of producing.
Representation, equity, and positivity are pillars that Adrian lives by, hoping to make a difference in the current theater and film industry.
Akina Van de Velde - Director of Photography
Akina Van de Velde is a freelance cinematographer based in Los Angeles and New York City.
For the last 10 years, she has worked in film and video production creating content for nonprofits and commercial clients including Adidas, Fitbit, Buzzfeed, NYLON, VICE, Hulu and Condé Nast.
She received her MFA from UCLA’s Theater, Film & Television program and now focuses on narrative and emotionally resonating storytelling. Her work was screened at Sundance, Outfest, and various other film festivals.
Akina is a recipient of the MPAA Award, the Federico De Laurentiis Memorial Award, the Peregrine Collective Grant, the Fred Thorpe Fellowship, the Lynn Weston Fellowship, and the Film Independent Project Involve Fellowship. When not on set, she is at the mercy of her Labrador Retriever, Rothko.
Victoria Santorsiero - Editor
Born and raised in the Bay Area, CA, Victoria Santorsiero has had a love for filmmaking from an early age. Whenever she wasn’t watching movies, she would spend her time studying the behind-the-scenes of the film industry; learning how to shoot footage, write scripts, and teaching herself how to edit. From there, she fell in love with the power of cutting, and in 2021, she made the move out to LA to hone in on her career as an editor. There she entered UCLA’s Film & Television Department, making her 1 of the 15 students accepted.
In June 2024, she graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts and as a Regents Scholar with a double concentration in post-production and producing. She is currently working as the editor and producer for Painted Down: The Ernie Robinson Story, a 4-part docuseries directed by Peabody Winner and Emmy Nominee, Nonie L. Robinson. As a wheelchair-bound lesbian woman, Victoria has a deep passion for uplifting underrepresented voices and bringing stories that have gone unsung to the forefront of her work.