It Takes A Little Magic: Funding Your First Feature Film – by Leena Pendharkar (bio), first-time feature filmmaker funded through private investor group FilmAngels; Writer, Director & Executive Producer of debut film “Raspberry Magic” (Meera Simhan, Ravi Kapoor, Bella Thorne). Leena started her filmmaking career in the world of documentaries, writing and directing several award winning films, including “My Narmada Travels” about indigenous people in India losing their land to a large dam. That film won several awards, including a First Prize at EarthVision film festival and a Bronze award at WorldFest Houston. Ultimately, it was picked up for broadcast by Al Gore’s network Current TV. Her narrative short “This Moment” about an interracial couple at a crossroads in their relationship screened widely on the festival circuit from the Hamptons to Harlem and Ojai, and can currently be seen on Jaman.com. It was also distributed through Ambassador Media to several colleges including Oberlin and UNC-Chapel Hill for use in courses related to race studies. Leena recently completed principal photography on her feature film debut “Raspberry Magic,” starring Meera Simhan (“Date Movie”), Ravi Kapoor (“Crossing Jordan”), Bella Thorne (“My Own Worst Enemy”), Zach Mills (“Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium”) and newcomers Lily Javaherpour and Keya Shah. The screenplay for “Raspberry Magic” was nominated for the ABC Talent Development Fund, was a finalist for the Roy W. Dean Grant as well as …
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A series of classes at Sno-Isle Library locations is teaching teens — and adults — how to make better movies for the Web.