Director
​
Dr. Sophia Romma, PhD, Esq., is an award-winning filmmaker and playwright whose creative canon includes sixteen stage plays and acclaimed films like the Garnet Prix winner Poor Liza and Used and Borrowed Time. As Producing Artistic Director of the Garden of the Avant-Garde Film and Theatrical Foundation, she champions female voices while merging artistic expression with her extensive career as an international human rights attorney. Her upcoming 2026 documentary, Soul Arbitration, continues this mission by chronicling the existential struggles of Ukrainian refugees. For her tireless advocacy for LGBTQ+, Roma, and Indigenous rights, she will be honored on March 10, 2026, with the New York City Bar Association’s Her Hero Lifetime Achievement Award.
Producer
​
Dr. Renee Lekach, Ph.D., is a microbiologist turned distinguished film producer and the Co-Founder of the Garden of the Avant-Garde Film and Theatrical Foundation in New York. With a career dedicated to championing avant-garde storytelling and human rights through cinema, she served as the Executive Producer for the critically acclaimed feature film Used and Borrowed Time (2021). Under her leadership, the Foundation has become a vital incubator for specialized filmmaking and dramaturgy, with a particular focus on elevating female voices and exploring themes of social justice, racial equality, and historical memory.
Composer & Transcriber
​
Michael Bulychev-Okser is an American pianist, composer, and pedagogue. Hailed by New York Times as "enticing and brilliant", Michael Bulychev-Okser has performed thousands of solo, chamber, and orchestral concerts, on the world's most prestigious stages: Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall (New York), Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.), La Salle Pleyel (Paris), Wigmore Hall (London) , etc.
An educator with 22 years of experience, Michael Bulychev-Okser is a Piano Faculty at Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Music Center. He also held teaching positions at New York University, Rutgers University, and Long Island Conservatory.
Cinematographer
​
Uladzimir Taukachou is a Belarusian-born cinematographer, drone pilot,
editor, and filmmaker based in the United States. He has worked on
numerous independent films, documentaries, and narrative shorts,
specializing in visual storytelling and post-production. His work
combines cinematic imagery with a strong focus on atmosphere and
character-driven storytelling.
​
​
VFX
​
Val Nabilskiy is a director and visual effects artist with a passion for storytelling, creativity and technology.
He’s worked on everything from feature films to music videos, bringing stories to life with stunning visuals.
Starting out in visual effects, Val quickly gained a reputation for his creativity and precision, which he now brings to his directing.
Throughout his career, he’s collaborated with top professionals, creating memorable work that pushes the limits of what's possible.
Always looking to innovate, Val continues to explore new ways to tell stories and create engaging visual experiences.