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, Austin. She identifies as Tamil. Her films reveal the extraordinary in the everyday, honoring the unique wisdom, resilience, and love that define both biological and chosen families. 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 film LOVE, CHAOS, KIN fills a critical gap in mainstream adoption narratives by highlighting multicultural and multiracial families, particularly through the lens of immigrants and people of color. 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 equality. In addition to directing and producing, she edits - SEX WORK IT'S JUST A JOB (2025, Feature Doc, Coming soon] ONE THOUSAND AND ONE BERBER NIGHTS (2023, Feature Doc). Chithra is an adjunct faculty member at NYU. She is an alumna of prestigious programs, including Visions du Réel’s RoughCut Lab, the Chicken & (Egg)celerator Lab, the BGDM Artist Fellowship, the Gotham Documentary Fellowship, and the Jerome Foundation grant. Her films have been showcased by platforms and festivals such as 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 and is writing her first screenplay, THE LONGEST SUMMER.
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 LOVE, CHAOS, KIN 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
Bhavana Goparaju (She/They) is a Data Scientist and independent writer/producer whose work amplifies marginalized voices and celebrates courageous individuals who persevere despite adversity. She was the associate producer of MANTRA (2015), a film about a business owner's struggles to save his company and family during India's economic liberalization. She then produced the critically acclaimed short EK POSHLA RUPKATHA (2017), about a lonely woman who commissions her own tomb but finds hope and purpose through a child in her neighborhood. She co-produced the feature narrative MAADATHY [2019], about a young girl from an oppressed caste and how she became immortalized as their local deity, Maadathy, and led its educational and community distribution efforts. After founding Jeevi Films, her production company, she produced, IN THE BELLY OF A TIGER [2024], a tale of an elderly farmer who sacrifices himself to a tiger to rescue his family from poverty – a stark reality of capitalistic Neo-liberalism. The film premiered at Berlinale. As the co-producer of LOVE, CHAOS, KIN [2025], she aims to connect the largely untapped South Asian diaspora with indie cinema. Her films have streamed on Netflix, Hotstar, Mubi, and Neestream; screened at prestigious film festivals like Busan, Cartagena, IFFI Goa, Adelaide, and Jogja-NETPAC Asian; and participated in competitive programs like the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum, NFDC Film Bazaar, and Tallinn’s WIP labs. Through Jeevi Films, she hopes to produce and direct groundbreaking films in India and the USA.
Co-Producer
LOVE, CHAOS, KIN
Director
Amma's Pride
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.
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Impact Producer
Amma's Pride
Ahaanaa Malhotra (She/Her) 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.
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.