LETTER FROM THE ceo:
Welcome to Lioness Media Arts where we strive to address human rights issues through compelling documentary stories. We have traveled throughout the United States, Africa, India and Europe making documentaries on key issues with partners like the BBC and Channel Four in England as well as with the History Channel and PBS in America. Working closely with great colleagues and collaborating with Emmy and Academy Award winning talent has made all the difference in bringing unique stories to life that reveal the big picture while capturing the lives of individuals. We love hearing from you so please let us know who you are and what you’re interested in.
If you are interested in Women in Film, please go to www.wifcincinnati.org. To find out more about our latest film visit www.hatecrimesheartland.com. Thanks for visiting the site and come back to find out more about archeology, history, human rights, Tibet, environment and development, and media, race, crime and punishment!
Best Regards, Rachel Lyon
Rachel Lyon
CEO and Founder
Rachel Lyon is an Emmy award-winning director, producer and writer. She has produced more than 65 documentary films, as well as three feature films. Lyon also currently serves as President of Women in Film Cincinnati. Her latest film, "Hate Crimes in the Heartland" examines the epidemic of hate crimes in America throughout nearly a century of history in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The film was awarded the prestigious JustFilms grant from the Ford Foundation.
Lyon’s films have appeared on ABC, PBS, NBC, CNN, National Geographic, BBC, and the History Channel. Her documentary feature "Men Who Molest" premiered on the PBS series Frontline and won the National Emmy Award for best research and background material on a continuing story. Her feature film "Tell Me A Riddle” was directed by Academy Award-winner Lee Grant and stars Academy Award winner Melvyn Douglas and Academy Award winner Lila Kedrova. Lyon’s other notable features include ”Thousand Pieces of Gold,” starring Academy Award-winner Chris Cooper, and the restoration of Orson Welles’ “Othello”.
Lyon’s media and human rights projects include "Juror Number Six" and the acclaimed "Race to Execution" which were both produced for the PBS series Independent Lens. "Race to Execution" was shown in over 60 cities and played at the most prominent black film festivals in the country.
Lyon's research and writings have been published in important law journals including, “Digital Divisions: Racial (In)Justice and the Limits of Social Informatics in the State of Georgia vs. Troy Anthony Davis”, in the Northern Kentucky Law Review and in “Media, Race, Crime, and Punishment: Re-Framing Stereotypes in Crime and Human Rights Issues” in the DePaul Law Review.
THE TEAM
BAVAND KARIM
Writer, Cinematographer, Producer
Bavand's work focuses on social justice and the relationship between mass media and social movements, including the Arab Spring. He is the producer of the award- winning documentary film, Nation of Exiles, and co-producer of Fox's organic lifestyle program Dig In DFW. Karim teaches film at Emerson University in Boston.
Pi-isis Ankhra
Producer
Pi-Isis Ankhra has over 15 years of experience within the philanthropic industry, developing strategic initiatives targeted at leveraging private and public investments. Ankhra has broadened her professional offerings to include media. As a film, television, and live event producer, Ankhra has engaged targeted audiences around stories that bring attention to cultural issues often underrepresented in mainstream media. Ankhra has worked in partnership with the Ford Foundation, Democratic National Committee, and the NAACP, among others.
Jeremy Freedberg
Cinematographer, Editor
Jeremy Freedberg