Real Talkies
We craft films
We create commissioned work, independent documentaries, and narrative films. At Real Talkies, we make audiovisual stories focussing on nuances that are not dwelled upon or deliberated in mass media.
Creative Director
CHITHRA JEYARAM (She/Her) is a physical therapist turned filmmaker with an MFA in Film from the University of Texas in Austin. She identifies as Tamil. Her work dismantles stereotypes by centering stories that illuminate the challenges faced by families, both biological and chosen. Her short film RAGS TO PADS tells the story of a husband who destigmatized menstruation and framed it as a societal issue not just a women’s issue. Her next film FOREIGN PUZZLE is a poignant exploration of motherhood that contrasts cancer's brutality with the resilience of dance. Her upcoming film, BECAUSE...WE ARE STILL FAMILY, examines open adoption through an immigrant lens. As the lead producer of the short documentary 'AMMA'S PRIDE,' she spearheads an innovative impact campaign to bring the film to a million people in rural Tamil Nadu. The film champions unwavering parental support for trans people and marriage quality. In addition to directing and producing, she edits - One Thousand and One Berber Nights (2023, Feature Doc), Look Like You (2022, Short Narrative), an episode for CBSN Speaking Frankly Series: Symbolic Justice (2020), and 9 Degrees (2019, Short Doc). She is an adjunct faculty at NYU and an active member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia and Bitchitra Collective. Chithra is an alumnus of Visions Du Reel RoughCut Lab, Chicken and (Egg)Celerator Lab, BGDM Artist Fellowship, Gotham Documentary Fellowship, and Jerome Foundation. Her work has been featured on 2M, PBS, CBSN, Apple TV, BlackStar, SXSW, and DOC NYC. Food is her first love, and she is an avid runner who has completed 15 marathons. She calls Chennai and New York City home.
EMILIA TOLEDO (she/they) is a graduate of Georgetown University’s undergraduate Justice and Peace Studies and Film and Media Studies programs. She is passionate about film as a tool for social impact and community building as well as the expansion of ethical approaches to documentary filmmaking practices. Even though documentary is her focus, she is also driven by experimentalism in film, especially that which incorporates dance and movement on screen. She has produced, directed, and edited PERDIENDO EL SABOR LATINO, a short documentary about the gentrification of a Latinx, immigrant community in her hometown as well as a short experimental dance film called SHUT EYE. Emilia is actively involved in production and outreach efforts for all Real Talkies Films. Currently, she is an associate and impact producer for BECAUSE...WE ARE STILL FAMILY and associate impact producer for AMMA'S PRIDE. She is also co-producing Charles Abelmann’s short documentary about a Cuban artist, Wayacón, and editing a short documentary about queer, Catholic expression at odds with the Catholic institution.
Associate Producer
SHIVA KRISH (He/Him) embarked on his cinematic journey in 2014, initially serving as an assistant director in a Tamil narrative feature film "Oru Naal Iravil." Volunteering in the aftermath of the Chennai floods of 2015 brought him into contact with several local nonprofits, igniting his interest in documentaries. Following that, he collaborated with nonprofits to create the short documentaries 'PINK MONEY' on demonetization in India and 'INWARD' focusing on schizophrenia. He was the first assistant director in the acclaimed Amazon Prime documentary series HARMONY WITH A. R. RAHMAN. AMMA's PRIDE is his first independent documentary short, and he hopes to direct narrative films soon.
Director
Amma's Pride
Ahaanaa Malhotra is a documentary filmmaker, impact producer, and a graduate of Columbia’s Journalism School, Class of 2022. She is passionate about using the power of film to inspire meaningful change through both urban and grassroots community engagement. Currently, Ahaanaa serves as the Impact Producer for Amma’s Pride, a short documentary that tells the story of a trans woman and the unwavering love and support of her mother as she fights for societal and legal recognition of her marriage. She is leading the Path to Pride campaign for the film, which will take place in five major cities across India in late 2024 and five U.S. cities during Pride Month 2025. Additionally, she is planning a large-scale grassroots impact campaign to build greater understanding and support for the LGBTQIA+ community across Tamil Nadu. Her work is deeply rooted in social impact storytelling, with a focus on women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ narratives, family, and love, exploring questions of identity and belonging.
Impact Producer
Amma's Pride
PRODUCE
Direct and produce
original story driven content to bring ideas to life, for brands, organizations, and networks.
Edit documentaries, branded media, fundraising samples and narrative films collaboratively.
SCREEN
Screen our films, host relevant workshops, engage through active dialogue and inspire change.
Teach filmmaking from development to distribution across educational settings, community workshops, and panels.