VARDA HARDY
Writer/Director

Varda received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts and Cultural Anthropology from Cornell University; attended NYU to further her studies in acting and directing; then went on to earn an MFA in filmmaking from the San Francisco Art Institute.

She entered the film world as a Script Supervisor and had the good fortune to work with accomplished independent film directors like Jim Jarmusch, Wayne Wang and Carol Ballard as well as actors like Nicholas Cage, Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, Gena Rowlands & Donald Sutherland to name a few.

Since then, Varda has directed a number of award-winning shorts. She was one of seven directors to be selected out of over three hundred entrants to participate in a digital filmmaking contest called Flicks on 66. Her short “MIRROR-MIRROR,” which evolved out of this competition, premiered at the 2004 South by Southwest Film Festival. The film garnered positive reviews and was picked up for online distribution by Greencine.
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In 2004, under the banner of her own production company RAVENSONG, Varda wrote and directed a series of micro films: “First Kiss,” “Stretched Too Thin” “Overachiever,” and “Fast Food Dogs.” Three of the films are being distributed internationally as part of Microcinema’s Black Chair series. “First Kiss” premiered at the Dragon*Con film festival in Atlanta, and “Stretched Too Thin” at the Raindance Film Festival in London, where it was selected as a “Best of Raindance Shorts”. This funny little film was also an official selection at the Griffon Int’l Film Festival, the Int’l Mini DV Festival in Los Angeles and at Canada’s Pres Ca court!

Varda went on to complete the feature documentary VISITING SHANE (2005) about the powerful relationships between a dying veteran, his mother, and three hospice volunteers who care for him. VISITING SHANE was selected as a finalist in the Greencine On-line Film Festival, was an Official Selection at the Hearts and Minds Film Festival, then was picked up for distribution by NETA. In 2007, SHANE will air on over a dozen PBS stations across the US. During this time, Varda also directed a series of HD documentary shorts that “bring art to the people and find the artist in us all.” These works were created for WAL MART and produced by Christopher Coppola’s production company, EARSXXI.

In 2005, Varda completed “WINDOW,” a 35mm short starring Louis Gossett Jr. and Robert Peters. WINDOW premiered at the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, won the “Best Screenplay Award” from the Creative Screenwriting Journal at the Hollyshorts Int’l Film Festival, and a “Crystal Heart Award” at the Heartland Film Festival. It was picked up by a nationally syndicated television show and is being distributed to over 85 television stations across the country including FOX, ABC, CBS. MOVING PICTURES MAGAZINE selected WINDOW as one of the “best” shorts of 2006.

Varda just finished a new short called THE THOUSAND SIDES OF THE MOON featuring the astounding poet/artist/composer Mauricio Saravia. She is currently developing the feature project
A THOUSAND FREEWAYS, co-written with Patrick S. Bennett, and has signed with ALTURAS FILMS to direct commercials.

Varda is committed to making meaningful & engaging entertainment that explores what it means to be human.

FILM FESTIVALS-AWARDS-GRANTS (2004-present)
Flicks on 66
South by Southwest Film Festival
Dragon*Con Film Festival (best comedy short – First Kiss)
Griffon International Film Festival
Hollywood International Mini-Dv Festival
London’s Raindance Film Festival (Best of Shorts – Stretched Too Thin)
Los Angeles Int’l Short Film Festival
Harlem Int’l Film Festival
Humboldt Film Festival
Temecula International Film Festival
Malibu Film Festival
Methodfest
Pacific Palisades Film Fest
San Francisco Women’s Film Festival
GreenCine Online Film Festival (Finalist Feature Documentary – Visiting Shane)
FIND’s Cine Lounge Screening
Hearts and Minds Film Festival
Park City Music In Film Festival
Dam Short Film Festival (Finalist – Best Drama - Window)
South Africa’s Innis Bos Film Festival
Crested Butte Film Festival
Wine Country Film Festival
Reel Women Film Festival
Hollyshorts Short Film Festival (Creative Screenwriting Mag: Best Screenplay-Window)
Heartland Film Festival (Crystal Heart Award Winner - Window)
Hamptons International Film Festival
Moving Pictures Magazine Short Film Contest (Runner-up – The Thousand Sides of the Moon)

AFFILIATIONS: Varda is Co-Chair of the Los Angeles Women In Film PSA Program