Montré Aza Missouri

FOUNDER | Executive Creative Director

Montré is a Washington DC native, film studies and cultural studies writer and filmmaker. She is also an Associate Professor in Film and Director of the Graduate Film Program at Howard University. Montré has lived and worked in the UK, Ghana and Nigeria and is passionate about independent film and visual culture. Former student at The London Film School and Goldsmith College University of London, Montré holds a PhD in Film and Media Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies University of London and is the author of film studies text Black Magic Woman and Narrative Film: Race, Sex and Afro-Religiosity. Her interest is in images of Yorùbá Atlantic-Religions, sexuality and racial/cultural hybridity in film and visual culture.

 

 
 
 

Jami Ramberan

Creative Director

Jami is a DC Native, an award-winning filmmaker and educator. She is an Assistant Professor in Film and Television at Howard University where she heads the Film and Television Program and is also a Film Instructor at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Jami was the co-organizer of Storycode DC focused on immersive digital storytelling and is currently part of the Amazon Studios-Howard University Entertainment Partnership in Los Angeles, CA.  As a director, Jami worked in New York on music videos, commercials, short films and documentaries for several years. Her short film award-winning Silent Brave focuses on the psychological effects of Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Her latest work, the short sci-fi fantasy Everlasting is currently in film festivals.

 
 
 
 
 

Srikanth Nandigama

Creative Director

Originally from Hyderabad, India, Srikanth is passionate about Telugu Cinema specifically, areas of production and distribution in Southern India's 'Tollywood' industry. Srikanth also remains connected to home through his work with Hyderabad based film venture The Fishtank Entertainment Company which has partner with Parallel in curating rarely seen art house films from South Asia. Although Srikanth wears several hats in Parallel, his main focus is cinematography and he has worked on several projects locally for Twelve 14 Media Production. Srikanth Nandigama is an Assistant Professor in Film at Howard University where he teaches cinematography.

 
 

DJ Ausar

Musical Director | Resident DJ

Based in Atlanta, DJ Ausar hosts The Kalakuta Show on WRFG 89.3FM and produces BodyMusic for UK based SoulAndJazz.com. In addition to dj'ing, Ausar works with Ocha Records in radio promotions. He has also headed musical and community educational events in Atlanta such as "ORIGINS: DJ Diaspora Festival" as well as "Sacred Spaces, Spiritual Places: DJ, Dance & Deities" discussion at Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History.