Rayka Zehtabchi
Birth : 1994-01-01,
History
Rayka Zehtabchi is an Oscar-winning Iranian-American director based in Los Angeles. Her directorial debut, Madaran, is an Iranian language short that won Jury awards at top film festivals and qualified for the 89th Academy Awards in 2016.
She won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short at the 91st Academy Awards for Period. End of Sentence., a documentary about a group of village women in Northern India who start a sanitary pad-making business in an effort to improve feminine hygiene and de-stigmatize menstruation. Along with the film’s release, Rayka helped co-found the non-profit “The Pad Project” to fight the stigma of menstruation and improve feminine hygiene worldwide.
Rayka’s passion is telling human stories that bring awareness and action to little-known social causes. In both documentary and narrative, she brings a naturalistic approach to her storytelling, striving for honesty and intimacy on screen.
Producer
Frankie's waited for this day for 23 years. With his mom's help, he packs up everything he owns and sets out to start a new life alone. But the euphoria of newfound independence is short-lived, and as the dust settles and night falls on his new apartment, he misses his mom.
Producer
A girl and her community prepare for her Ihuk, the once-dormant coming of age ceremony of the Karuk tribe of Northern California.
Director
A girl and her community prepare for her Ihuk, the once-dormant coming of age ceremony of the Karuk tribe of Northern California.
Writer
Safa’s been through a lot. Now her car battery's dead in a strip mall parking lot.
Director
Safa’s been through a lot. Now her car battery's dead in a strip mall parking lot.
Director
A Woman’s Place is a documentary short film by Ventureland, Vox Creative and KitchenAid that gives an intimate look at the culinary world through the eyes of three women: Karyn Tomlinson, Marielle Fabie and Etana Diaz. As each woman reflects on the biases and sexism that she faced at the beginning of her career, the stories seem to echo one another. Directed by Academy® Award-winner Rayka Zehtabchi, we witness glimpses of their dark pasts intertwined with the brightest moments of their careers. Each woman carved out a place for herself in the industry — not just as a woman, but as a butcher, chef and restaurateur.
Director
Mutton Bustin’ champion and future spy, 7-year-old Marlie McDonald is a symbol of resilience and vigor. Marlie was born with an aggressive brain tumor and spent her first few years in hospitals. Today, fearless Marlie is in long-term survival care and insists on riding sheep in her free time.
Director
Four people - Brittany, Hannah, Nick, and Ylonda - tell their stories about how access to abortion in their community helped them empower themselves to lead lives they want to live.
Producer
Bill and Tonya Martin don't speak English anymore. This is the story of Martinese.
Director
Bill and Tonya Martin don't speak English anymore. This is the story of Martinese.
Assistant Director
Two brothers, Paul and Elliot, embark on one last road trip together to Mammoth, California.
Director
When two desperate boys force their way into the home of a privileged college student, they discover what it's like to live without struggle.
Producer
In an effort to improve feminine hygiene, a machine that creates low-cost biodegradable sanitary pads is installed in a rural village in Northern India. Using the machine, a group of local women is employed to produce and sell pads, offering them newfound independence and helping to destigmatize menstruation for all.
Director
In an effort to improve feminine hygiene, a machine that creates low-cost biodegradable sanitary pads is installed in a rural village in Northern India. Using the machine, a group of local women is employed to produce and sell pads, offering them newfound independence and helping to destigmatize menstruation for all.
Co-Producer
An Iranian mother must decide whether to end or spare the life of her son's killer.
Writer
An Iranian mother must decide whether to end or spare the life of her son's killer.
Director
An Iranian mother must decide whether to end or spare the life of her son's killer.
