BGDM Member Profile

she/her/hers

Company

Asian American Documentary Network

Race/Ethnicity

South Asian, Indian American, Telugu American

Professions

Cinematographer, Director, Editor, Producer

Location

Oakland

Languages

English, Telugu

Available for Hire

Yes

Travel for Work

Domestic

Experience Level

Established

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Biography

Pallavi Somusetty⠀(she/her/hers) is a U.S.-based director, cinematographer, and producer who creates documentary portraits centering BIPOC voices in the hope that we feel fully seen in the complexities of our identities and journeys. She’s a series producer for A-Doc and in production on her feature debut, Coach Emily. Her films have screened globally and her work has been supported by the IDA, CAAM, California Film Institute, Puffin Foundation, and more. Pallavi’s award-winning cinematography has appeared on Nat Geo, PBS, and other media outlets. She holds a documentary-focused Master in Journalism from UC Berkeley and a BA in Creative Writing from UC Santa Cruz. In her spare time she enjoys rock climbing and musical theater, and she supports incarcerated pregnant people as a doula.

Fellowships and Awards

•2023-2024 IDA Logan Elevate fellow
•2023 DOCNYC Live Pitch
•2023 DocLands DocPitch Industry Award winner
•2023 Unlock Her Potential mentee
•2022 Center for Asian American Media fellow
•2022 AFF (Athena) Doc Pitch Forum
•2019-2021 Re-Take Oakland fellow

•2017 AT&T CAAMFest Award for Escaping Agra

•2017 TranScreen Audience Award for Escaping Agra

Active Projects

Coach Emily (w.t.) - Emily Taylor, an Oakland-based queer Black climbing coach, fearlessly trains BIPOC kids to conquer the pervasive discrimination they face in the great outdoors. As they claim their place in nature, Emily embarks on a profound journey of self-care, while working to dismantle an industry rife with systemic racism.
Supported by: IDA, California Film Institute, Eddie Bauer, BAVC, Puffin Foundation, Re-Present Media, Studio IX Project, Athena Pitch Forum, DOCNYC, Center for Cultural Innovation
Seeking: EPs, Funding, Distribution

Welcome Home Jhaiji - Berkeley-based historian and artist Barnali, along with a group of committed activists, spearhead a grassroots campaign to rename a street after Kala Bagai, a South Asian woman who experienced racial discrimination over a hundred years ago. In the process, they transform the way they feel about themselves and how they belong, and spark a nationwide movement.
Supported by: CAAM, Studio IX Project
Seeking: Completion Funding, Distribution

Films

Video Links

https://vimeo.com/813679431, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_nOIMr1CVo, https://vimeo.com/360454713