John Diakakis, the main subject of the film “Bendix: Site Unseen,” owns and operates the Bendix Diner in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. He is a blind, single-father of three children: Michael, Dimitri and Tony, who graduated Harvard University in 2022. John is also a stand-up comedian.
BEING MICHELLE was directed, produced and filmed by the award-winning wife/husband duo Mae Thornton Mehra and Atin Mehra, who spent five years following Michelle and her story. They have been producing social justice and impact driven films together for over 15 years at ORANGE KITE PRODUCTIONS.
Atin was born and raised in Varanasi, India where his own struggles with abuse and discrimination drew him to stories of marginalized individuals and communities. Both Mae and Atin pride themselves on openly creative collaboration between film participants and diverse production teams, where they believe impact begins within the filmmaking process itself. In 2020, the film team co-founded the nonprofit THRIVING ROOTS INITIATIVE to further their work of social impact documentary filmmaking.
Anthony Scalia is an independent filmmaker and video editor. He recently received the lead editor credit on the PBS specials, “All Creatures Great & Small: Between the Pages” and “Endeavour: The Evolution” which were nationally syndicated in 2022. Scalia has also worked as a camera operator for Billboard, The Criterion Collection and the 2023 Oscar-nominated film, “The Janes.” He is currently in-development for an upcoming true-crime podcast.
Luca Tornatore started working twenty years ago as cam-operator in the ENG troupe. The advent of miniDV and low-cost non-linear editing allowed him to be among the first video makers, and in 2000 he shot his first short film. In 2006 he was one of the first filmmakers to move to high definition.
In 2008 he made the first direct-to-video feature, Hikikomori. Inspired by the well-known pathology of Japanese boys, it has a very sharp style, with silences, fixed shots and jump cuts, with the hand-held camera bursting suddenly; the protagonist is desaturated and often shot in half-darkness.
Again in 2008 he was among the first in Italy to shift to 4k technology, and he worked also as a colorist. In 2014 he produced his first feature film, St@lker. The effort to explore alternatives forms to traditional narratives is pushed even further than the previous film: the photography changes continuously with the evolution of the characters, the editing alternates long, fixed frames with rapid cuts, with an extensive use of graphics.
In 2015 he was associate producer of “Lands of Saints” (Terra dei Santi), co-produced by Rai Cinema. In 2021 he produced the feature film “Upside Down” with Rai Cinema and the back of MIC, Apulia, Lazio and Aosta Valley, inspired by a true story of a guy with Down syndrome who fights three times as a martial artist.
Troy Kotsur has been acting and directing for over 20 years. Deaf since birth, he was raised in Mesa, AZ. In his career he has had critically acclaimed performances in major films, a lead role in the Broadway run of a Tony Award-winning play, and numerous memorable roles on Television.
His supporting role in the film CODA (2021) earned him a number of accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award. He is the first deaf actor to win the latter three awards, and first deaf man and second deaf performer overall to win the first.
In television, Troy made headlines in 2019 for his acting role in The Mandalorian on Disney+ because along with acting, he choreographed an adapted form of sign language for the series. Other notable television roles include guest star appearances on Criminal Minds, Scrubs, CSI: NY, and a fan favorite recurring character on PAX’s Sue Thomas: FB-Eye.
Much of Troy’s success has stemmed from his highly respected career on stage. This includes a role in the Tony Award-winning run of Big River on Broadway, performing at the Mark Taper Forum, and the 2015 LA Drama Critics Circle Award nominee Spring Awakening.
Model, Influencer, former New York Miss Amazing Teen, and activist, Janira Obregon is someone who brings something incredibly special to the world. Obregon graduated high school ranking #4 of 100 seniors from her class, went on to earn her Associate’s in Paralegal Studies from LaGuardia Community College in New York, and later received the first runner up at a national pageant in Los Angeles in which she was able to represent her home of New York. All of these achievements are not only amazing milestones in Janira, but just the beginning of all of the goals she has set for her future.
Janira graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice; she is now planning on going into the field of Law. Before all of her powerful accomplishments, Janira was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Spastic Quadriplegia soon after she was born. Cerebral Palsy is a common disability that is found in children affecting their brain and causing weakness or problems within their muscles. This normally develops before, during, or after birth. Spastic Quadriplegia or spastic tetraplegia is spastic movements that occur in three limbs, typically both of your legs and one arm. This is also a type of cerebral palsy. Despite having these disabilities, Janira continues to push boundaries and achieve her goals.
Kara McGrath is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience. Her work primarily covers beauty and wellness, with a focus on finding ways to make both industries more inclusive and highlighting less-often-celebrated figures in the space. Kara has been the deputy digital director of Allure since 2019, where she oversees content strategy across all verticals. In 2020, she launched Allure’s Beauty of Accessibility franchise, an ongoing series on inclusivity and representation for people with disabilities in the beauty industry and beyond. Prior to Allure, she lead the launch and development of Bustle’s fashion and beauty verticals. Kara lives in rural New Hampshire with her partner, dog, four cats, and a rotating cast of foster animals.
Jeanine Lobell has been a dynamic industry player for over two decades. She is an artist who transcends traditional boundaries, possessing a unique sensibility by combining both creativity and entrepreneurship. Her work has appeared on countless covers from Vogue, W, Vanity Fair, and Harper’s Bazaar and she has worked with Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman and Nicole Kidman among others.
She is a brand innovator with a history of two successful exits, Stila Cosmetics and Kevyn Aucoin. As the founder behind Stila, she captured a culture of community and positivity. Throwing away the usual beauty playbook, she made epic formulas, and created the paper packaging we all see today. Not a fan of messaging about contouring, covering up, and trying to look like someone else, she made it about the individual, and having fun with makeup.
Now, she’s taking it one step further with Neen, disrupting the beauty industry with the first-ever subscription card – a new way to experience makeup and tutorials. Each month there is a new card with 5 peel back makeup swatches and 5 new looks. Scan the QR codes linked to easy-to-follow tutorials, open the swatches and try out the looks. When you find something you love, as your subscription costs are translated into store credit, you can get any product you love in full-size! Designing with a sustainability-first mindset, Neen has created the first ever silicone compact that is refillable, recyclable and won’t leak micro-plastics into the environment. Neen is about creating your own narrative, throwing out old ideas, including beauty standards.
Over the span of my career, I have had the privilege to live both my loves: as
an artist, working on-set with models and celebrities; and as an educator,
teaching makeup artistry for brands like Dior and Stila, and leading education
departments for Smashbox and Josie Maran. It’s exciting to see your art come
to life in a photo or walking down the runway, but to teach and share my love
of makeup has always been my greatest joy.
While makeup artistry always came easily for me, I could see just how
challenging it was for so many of my clients and friends. Simply learning
the steps to apply makeup doesn’t always translate into applying it with
confidence. With GUIDE Beauty, we have built in ease-of-use to the actual
tools and formulas. These products will literally GUIDE your hand to easier
and better application. And, of course, I will be there every step of the way
with tutorials and tips at guidebeauty.com and @guidebeautycosmetics.
I am often asked how I can truly relate to the average makeup user when I
have the skills of a professional makeup artist. But it was a major life change
that led to the epiphany that there must be an easier and better way for
everyone to apply makeup. A few years ago, I started to question why I too
was struggling with certain makeup techniques. My doctor provided the
answer when I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. So now I am a professional
makeup artist, beauty educator, AND someone who knows what it feels like to
struggle to get their eyeliner straight and their brows on point.
Though it comes with challenges, my diagnosis has given me an unexpectedly
beautiful gift. One that I am grateful and excited to share. I am able to
approach makeup and how we apply it from a unique lens. GUIDE Beauty
allows me to reimagine the world of makeup with formulas and tools designed
to make applying makeup feel just as fabulous as you’ll look wearing it.
Natasha Caudill is a 25 year old content creator and disability advocate living in Chicago, IL. She was born with a rare eye disorder and now shares her life through TikTok and Instagram to a following of over 1.4 million. As a completely colorblind person, she shares her passion for makeup and beauty through tutorials and reviews. As an advocate for inclusivity and accessibility in the beauty space, Natasha has worked with many brands and organizations to promote beauty for everyone’s unique abilities.
