For work samples/ press and more: https://www.taliasavannasmith.com BIO: Before she knew anything else, Talia knew storytelling. Both her parents' families are very loud and passionate storytellers, and so from a young age, she learned that keeping an audience engaged was a skill. But, even more important than that, you don't start telling a story... Read More

For work samples/ press and more: https://www.taliasavannasmith.com BIO: Before she knew anything else, Talia knew storytelling. Both her parents' families are very loud and passionate storytellers, and so from a young age, she learned that keeping an audience engaged was a skill. But, even more important than that, you don't start telling a story without having a great ending.A filmmaker born and raised in South Africa. Her country’s rich heritage inspired her storytelling aspirations from a young age. At 18 she followed her dreams and studied Film & TV at NYU’s Tisch School of the arts. She has focussed her filmmaking career on true stories- highlighting ordinary people with extraordinary stories. Her latest film UMAMA was shortlisted for a student BAFTA and received the Gold Medal at the Student Academy Awards. Talia aims to keep her films visceral no matter the genre. In that way, viewers are not only watching but also experiencing her movies. The objective is that the aftermath of these feelings could provoke positive action or thought processes. She aims her films at larger audiences and intends to "trojan horse" important issues within those films that the audience may not have had exposure to elsewhere. Her aspiration is to create a safe space for viewers to feel heard and rediscover new interpretations or understandings for those around them. Through her film Umama, Talia has seen the power of perspective and has worked on an impact campaign to ensure that the film's message continues beyond the initial viewing. With this as inspiration, she hopes to continue presenting new lenses from which to view the world. Read Less