Introducing 2024/25 BDC Films Fellows
BDC Films is excited to introduce this year's cohort of BDC Films Fellows: Meet Oliver Farshi, Teresa Xie, Oliver Zapata Ramirez, Ariana Marie Luque, and Tasnuva Shehrin!
BDC Films was created in response to the lack of support for traditionally underrepresented documentary filmmakers in the Bronx, as well as to the changes in storytelling professions that require a broader skillset for potential employment in creative industries. The program is run by the Director of BDC Films Fellowship Program, Tânia Cypriano, and Assistant Daniela Amézquita.
Oliver Farshi
Oliver Farshi is a British-Persian photographer based in New York. His work features people in moments of intense connection and disconnection. Oliver’s work has appeared in Forbes, The LA Times, and The Boston Globe, amongst others. His photography has been exhibited in New York at the International Center Of Photography, Photoville, and Baxter Street at the Camera Club of NY. He is a graduate of the International Center of Photography’s Documentary Practice & Visual Journalism program.
IG: @oliverblank
Teresa Xie
Teresa Xie (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based journalist who reports on culture, politics, business — and the spaces where they intersect. She has written for publications ranging from Pitchfork to The Nation, has worked on NPR’s Tiny Desk and Louder Than A Riot, and produced an audio story as an AAJA Voices Fellow. Teresa is a member of the independent filmmaker collective Filmshop and was part of BRIC's 2024 Documentary Intensive cohort.
IG: @resate_z
Oliver Zapata Ramirez
Oliver Zapata Ramirez is a Colombian filmmaker and photographer based in New York. A video editor with a background in documentary film, Oliver’s interest lies in exploring the Latin identity and experience in the U.S. After emigrating to the US at a young age and moving between communities, Oliver developed a deep passion for exploring issues of migration, labor, and identity. In his work, he aims to merge his experience and storytelling skills in photography, film and multimedia to examine how these issues are interwoven into the fabric of the American experience. IG: @icecreampapiii
Tasnuva Shehrin
Tasnuva Shehrin, based in NYC, captures themes of community, displacement, and identity in her work for cultural organizations. Her interest in filmmaking began in childhood, filming satirical family reenactment skits with her cousins on a camcorder. After graduation, she embarked on a solo journey to Italy, where she filmed a documentary about migrant workers on a farm. In the future, Tasnuva hopes to use filmmaking as a tool to amplify diverse and underrepresented voices.
IG: @tbh.nuva
Ariana Marie Luque
Ariana Marie Luque is a director and cinematographer from the Bronx, NY. She is a Ghetto Film School and NYU Tisch Film alumni. Her work is often rooted in her Latin background, and prioritizes culture and interpersonal relationships. Her goal is to amplify stories from underrepresented communities and diversify the entertainment industry in front of and behind the camera. Ariana has experience working abroad in Iceland, Italy and Puerto Rico. She has worked with major studios like Amazon Prime, Walt Disney, and Paramount Pictures in their production departments.