Nisha Ganatra

"Hollywood could learn a thing or two about how to be truthful and lighthearted at the same time from Nisha Ganatra..."
     -- The New York Times
   "Ganatra brings to her films a certain energy and creativity that mark the best indie features."
     -- Filmmaker Magazine

Nisha Ganatra's debut feature film, Chutney Popcorn received much acclaim, garnering Audience Awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, Newport Film Festival, Paris International Film Festival and Madrid International Film Festival and Best Feature Film Awards at the Outfest Los Angeles and San Francisco film festivals.

Nisha recently completed Cosmopolitan starring Carol Kane and Roshan Seth for PBS and ITVS. Cosmopolitan was selected by Input as one of the top ten films shown on public television this year. It was the only narrative film chosen for this distinction. Nisha most recently directed a romantic comedy with Heather Graham, Cake. The film also stars: David Sutcliffe, Sandra Oh, Taye Diggs, Cheryl Hines and Sarah Chalke.

Last year, Nisha directed the Real World New York for MTV and the Road Rules/Real World Challenge, which is currently airing. Nisha is in development for feature films with Jane Startz Productions (Tuck Everlasting, The Baby Sitter's Club, The Mighty) and also working adapting the documentary The Education of Shelby Knox into a narrative feature with the Sundance Award winning documentary makers.

Junky Punky Girlz, the short Nisha directed while at NYU's Graduate Film School, has won extraordinary recognition and many awards including: the prestigious Tisch Fellowship and the PBS Grand Prize for Most Outstanding Short Film of the year. Over 60 National and International Film Festivals have selected Junky Punky Girlz including the Walker Art Center and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Most recently, Nisha was presented with the Docker's Original Vision Award, and the Max Factor Filmmaker Award for her work.

Before making films, Nisha worked for Planned Parenthood as a Reproductive Health Educator, was on the board of Third Wave - a social justice activist group for young women, and held a prestigious internship where she got coffee for many, many rock stars. While at NYU, Nisha studied with director Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, and Barbara Kopple. She is the recipient of the Warner Brothers Production Award for her film work at NYU.

Nisha is represented by Roger E. Kass at Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard.

Nisha is also represented by APA, address: 405 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Phone: +1-310-888-4284, Fax +1-310-300-0594.
APA Contacts: Lindsay Howard lhoward@apa-agency.com for Television, and Debbie Deuble ddeuble@apa-agency.com and Sheryl Petersen spetersen@apa-agency.com for Feature Films

[August 2006]