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As a collaborative community art project, Teens with a Movie Camera brings youth in Syracuse City School District together with local media artists, including film & media arts professors and Syracuse University students, to make movies and build connections.
Meet the members of our team below!
As a collaborative community art project, Teens with a Movie Camera brings youth in Syracuse City School District together with local media artists, including film & media arts professors and Syracuse University students, to make movies and build connections.
Meet the members of our team below!
Co-Founders / Project Producers
Co-Founders / Project Producers
MIŠO SUCHY
MIŠO SUCHY
Program Director +
Creative Producer
Professor, Syracuse University
VPA Film Program
Mišo Suchý (he/him) is an Associate Professor with nearly 30 years of filmmaking and teaching experience. Mišo’s films have screened internationally, including retrospectives at film festivals in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. His work was part of a retrospective of Slovak Documentary Cinema organized by Centre Pompidou, Paris, France. Working with his students, Mišo created a community based film, Giving Voice, about singing for an inclusive society. Mišo has taught master film classes & media workshops in Slovakia (where he’s originally from). At SU, he developed the “zero budget” independent personal filmmaking course: In Our Own Backyards and the course smARTphone for ARTists.
LIDA SUCHY
LIDA SUCHY
Program Co-Director +
Creative Producer
Professor, Onondaga Community College
Photographer & Guggenheim Fellow
Lida Suchy (she/her) is a first-generation American, born into a refugee family. A Fulbright Scholar, Guggenheim Fellow, & NYFA Fellow, she has exhibited internationally and throughout the USA. Lida taught at RIT, Hartwick, and has led workshops in the USA, Italy, and Ukraine. Currently, she teaches at OCC. Previously, she worked with Nottingham High School students on a media & performance art project, Reflections from Nottingham High, exhibited at ArtRage and later installed at SU’s School of Education. Excerpts were also on view at Syracuse City Hall. Lida’s VOICES OF DIVERSITY and most recently, PORTRAIT OF A VILLAGE, were exhibited at ArtRage in Syracuse.
EVAN BODE
EVAN BODE
Program Co-Director,
Video Editor + Web Manager
M.F.A. Alumnus, Class of 2023
SU VPA Film Program
Evan Bode (any pronouns) is an award-winning filmmaker, animator, editor, composer, and arts educator whose work has screened at major festivals across the U.S. and around the world. Evan’s first student film, Thine Own Self, won the Gotham Institute’s Student Showcase, a success featured in Filmmaker Magazine. Their latest film, Prison and Time, co-created with writer Marvin Wade in association with Project Mend, was featured in The New York Times as part of NYT's Emmy Award-winning "Op-Docs" series. Bode graduated with an M.F.A. in Film from Syracuse University in 2023, where he earned a Chancellor's Citation for Excellence in Graduate Research and taught courses in animation, documentary, narrative fiction, and experimental film, as well as SU’s Summer Pre-College Film intensive.
Creative Support Team / Project Mentors
Creative Support Team / Project Mentors
Students from SU serve an essential role on our team during TwMC workshops as team assistants, creative mentors,
and supportive role models, making community engaged scholarship part of their education and artistic practice.
Students from SU serve an essential role on our team during TwMC workshops as team assistants, creative mentors,
and supportive role models, making community engaged scholarship part of their education and artistic practice.
Below, meet some of the outstanding student assistants and visiting artists who have
supported our program throughout past and present editions of Teens with a Movie Camera.
Below, meet some of the outstanding student assistants and visiting artists who have
supported our program throughout past and present editions of Teens with a Movie Camera.
Summer 2026: Overcoming Gravity
Summer 2026: Overcoming Gravity
TwMC Creative Support Team #5
TwMC Creative Support Team #5
SHOKOOFEH
JABBARI
SHOKOOFEH
JABBARI
SU VPA Film Program
M.F.A. Candidate
Shokoofeh Jabbari is a filmmaker, animator, poet, writer, collage artist, and educator whose work brings together cinema, literature, and art. Born and raised in Iran, she draws on her heritage and global experiences to create thoughtful, expressive pieces. She holds an M.F.A. in filmmaking from Syracuse University, an M.A. in dramatic literature from Tarbiat Modares University in Tehran, a B.A. in cinema, and an associate degree in graphic design. As an instructor at Syracuse University, she teaches and mentors students in film and media arts. In Iran, she taught performing arts and art history, helping students find their creative voices. Jabbari’s work explores identity, memory, womanhood, and the feeling of being between worlds. She uses literature, collage, experimental film, animation, VR, installation, and performance to create gentle, beautiful spaces where stories and memories come together.
OKSANA
KAZMINA
OKSANA
KAZMINA
SU VPA Art Video
M.F.A. Alumnus
Oksana Kazmina is an artist, filmmaker, and educator. She is also a participant in the cine-movement “Freefilmers,” which was originally founded in Mariupol, Ukraine. Kazmina works at the intersection of performance art, moving image, and critical media theory. Her main focus is the relationship between modern body and media, the mediality of experience, the embodied memory. Since 2015, Kazmina has been working on her debut feature, “Underwater,” which evolved into an online exhibition www.dokvira.cam. Just before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kazmina developed a series of walks-lectures “Contemporary History of Ukraine” and a bio-art project, “Dead/ly Landscapes or I Myself Should Become All Places I Loved.” Currently, Kazmina is conducting research on the relationship between ritual, cybernetics, and moving image, focusing on the work of Kyiv-born avant-garde artist and filmmaker Maya Deren.
HEZEKIAH
FLECK SIMS
HEZEKIAH
FLECK SIMS
SU VPA Film Program
B.F.A. Alumnus
Hezekiah Fleck Sims (he/him) approaches artistic work as a radical, spiritual practice of movement and world-building, rooted in a deep sense of love and responsibility and a belief in the interconnectedness of all things. He believes that this work, emerging from open observation and listening, can stimulate thought and imagination and engage alternate ways of thinking or seeing, and is thus necessary for the building of a better world. Media he works in include filmmaking, photography, dance, and music composition. His process is exploratory and playful, with a foundation in the discipline and physicality of his classical training in ballet and music, for a tactile, embodied approach. In film, he aims to engage on both intellectual and emotional levels, with a mix of drama, humor, stylization, and the absurd. His filmic style is rooted in movement, and shares an observational character with his still photography, careful to portray subjects with respect. In addition to his artistic practice, he also dances, teaches, and does other work with Amherst Ballet Theatre Company, a dance school committed to technically rigorous, accessible and inclusive teaching.
CLARA
KELLEY
CLARA
KELLEY
SU VPA Film Student
Junior Undergrad
Clara Kelley is a filmmaker and writer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania currently pursuing a B.F.A. in Film, History, and Writing. Her creative work features deeply personal stories that expose the painful loss of innocence, highlighting the abuse and secrecy that is often perpetuated in family dynamics. With a desire to show complex characters, Clara often tells a story across multiple mediums, as seen in her 2025 written memoir and experimental film "The Extinction of Fireflies" was well as her 2026 short film "MO GHRÁ" and short story "Hail Mary." In addition to her own work, Clara is also an advocate for children's education, working as an SU Literacy Corps Tutor and founding The Good Memory Project, a photography initiative to help students learn the basics of composition. Her educational goals focus on teaching empathy, amplifying young voices, and helping others use their imagination.
MORGAN
ALBANO
MORGAN
ALBANO
SU VPA Film Program
B.F.A. Alumnus
VPA Leadership Scholar
+ 2025 VPA Class Marshall
SIMÓN DE
GREIFF RUBIO
SIMÓN DE
GREIFF RUBIO
SU VPA Film Student
Junior Undergrad
JACOB
MERSON
JACOB
MERSON
SU VPA Film Student
Junior Undergrad
ELIORA
ENRIQUEZ
ELIORA
ENRIQUEZ
SU VPA Film Student
Junior Undergrad
VPA Ambassador,
Remembrance Scholar
Additional Guest Visitors (Summer '25)
Additional Guest Visitors (Summer '25)
DOORIM KIM
Alumnus, SU VPA Film M.F.A.
Professor at Cornell University
TEVVON HINES
Alumnus, SU VPA Film M.F.A.
TRISH MANGENI
SU VPA Film M.F.A. Candidate
Featured Teaching Artist:
Featured Teaching Artist:
SHOKOOFEH JABBARI
SHOKOOFEH JABBARI
SU VPA Film Program, M.F.A. Candidate
Shokoofeh Jabbari a filmmaker, animator, poet, writer, collage artist, and educator whose work brings together cinema, literature, and art. Born and raised in Iran, she draws on her heritage and global experiences to create thoughtful, expressive pieces. She holds an M.F.A. in filmmaking from Syracuse University, an M.A. in dramatic literature from Tarbiat Modares University in Tehran, a B.A. in cinema, and an associate degree in graphic design. As an instructor at Syracuse University, she teaches and mentors students in film and media arts. In Iran, she taught performing arts and art history, helping students find their creative voices. Jabbari’s work explores identity, memory, womanhood, and the feeling of being between worlds. She uses literature, collage, experimental film, animation, VR, installation, and performance to create gentle, beautiful spaces where stories and memories come together.
Her art has been honored with awards like the Philip K. Davis Award, the M.F.A. Show Award from Syracuse University, and several Creative Opportunity Grants. She has won Best Film at the Fanoos and International Film Festival for Children and Youth, and Best Screenplay at the Hasanat Short Film Festival. Jabbari’s poems are published in journals such as DoveTales, Straylight Journal, Artifact Nouveau, A Narrow Fellow, Ghost City Review, and in the anthology Viver Sem Fronteiras. Her poetry collection “Eu Não Sou Um Anjo” (I Am Not an Angel) was published in 2020 by Amazon Brazil. Twice, she was named a Top Ten Poet by the Zhale Esfahani Poem Foundation at SOAS, University of London. She also received Elite Artist Recognition from the Provincial Government of Yazd, Iran, and the First Young Writer Award.
TEVVON HINES
TEVVON HINES
SU VPA Film Program
M.F.A. Alumnus
VPA Film Instructor
Tevvon Hines (he/him) is a filmmaker from Dallas, Texas, born 1998. He employs the film medium as a means of examining community, identity, and American culture through visual narrative storytelling. Since his graduation from University of North Texas in Denton, Texas in 2020, he has directed and produced numerous short fiction films including the thriller short Nightfall (2023), which has screened at festivals and exhibitions in Texas, New York state, and New Jersey. After completing his MFA at Syracuse University in 2024, he aspires to maintain a career as a working writer and director in his own film productions as well as teaching film courses.
DIAN LING
DIAN LING
SU Art Video Program
M.F.A. Alumnus
Assistant at
Urban Video Project
As an international artist navigating diverse cultural landscapes, Dian Ling has learned the power of listening and connecting with those whose backgrounds differ from her own. This appreciation for collaboration and empathy has deeply influenced her approach to visual storytelling for human-centered stories.
Dian previously served as the Video Director for the Syracuse University Fashion and Design Society, where she led creative direction for fashion shoots and produced a 300-attendee fashion show featuring over 70 looks with her peers.
Currently, as an Urban Video Project assistant, she helps artists from around the world showcase their work on the façade of the Everson Museum and at community nights. Dian is dedicated to creating platforms that amplify marginalized voices, producing promotional materials and documentary videos that highlight underrepresented groups.
MORGAN ALBANO
MORGAN ALBANO
SU VPA Film Student
Senior Undergrad
VPA Leadership Scholar
+ 2025 VPA Class Marshall
Morgan Lynn Albano (they/them) is an aspiring historian, educator, and artist. They are currently pursuing a B.F.A. in Film at the College of Visual and Performing Arts, as well as a B.A. in History at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Morgan is passionate about historical imagination and using art to bridge gaps between space, time, and memory. Their historical research and creative work mostly engages with transnational relationships between the United States and Morocco, specifically in reference to themes of medical tourism, orientalism, and LGBTQ+ human rights. Morgan’s collaborative photographic work was recently featured in the 2023 exhibition ‘Not Gay,’ curated by Jonathan David Katz and Ryan Patrick Kreuger at the Cathy and Jesse Marion Art Gallery at SUNY Fredonia.
ASPEN QUALLES
ASPEN QUALLES
SU VPA Film Student
Sophomore Undergrad
VPA Leadership Scholar
Aspen Qualles (she/her) is a screenwriter and director from North Brookfield Massachusetts, currently in the process of pursuing a B.F.A in Film and Media Arts. Aspen is in her sophomore year as a film major and creative writing minor at Syracuse University.
"I primarily work in narrative fiction as well as small scale documentary. I would consider myself a people person. I also love learning new things which is great because the film industry is always changing. My high school never prioritized the arts, especially film. So, I am so excited to provide for these young adults a chance to explore this amazing medium of expression and storytelling. Let’s go have some fun!"
TEVVON HINES
TEVVON HINES
Alumnus,
SU VPA Film M.F.A.
VPA Film Instructor
Tevvon Hines (he/him) is a filmmaker from Dallas, Texas, born 1998. He employs the film medium as a means of examining community, identity, and American culture through visual narrative storytelling. Since his graduation from University of North Texas in Denton, Texas in 2020, he has directed and produced numerous short fiction films including the thriller short Nightfall (2023), which has screened at festivals and exhibitions in Texas, New York state, and New Jersey. After completing his MFA at Syracuse University in 2024, he aspires to maintain a career as a working writer and director in his own film productions as well as teaching film courses.
EMMA BAKER
EMMA BAKER
SU VPA Film Student
Senior Undergrad
SAY YES Syracuse Scholar
Emma Baker (they/she) is a writer, director, and cinematographer from Syracuse, New York. After attending high school in the Syracuse City School District, Emma was able to realize and pursue their goal of studying filmmaking in college through the Say Yes to Education program. They are currently completing their B.F.A. in Film at Syracuse University with a minor in Art Photography. While attending SU, Emma has had access to various opportunities such as the SU Pre-College program where they assisted in teaching filmmaking to high school students. Additionally, it has allowed them to study abroad in Prague and get hands-on experience with 35mm film. As a queer filmmaker, Emma has explored the topic of identity in their films utilizing surrealism and non-linear narratives.
RYAN BODE
RYAN BODE
SU VPA Film Student
Senior Undergrad
2025 VPA Scholar
Ryan Bode (he/him) is a writer, editor, and director from Colorado currently pursuing a B.F.A. degree in Film and Media Arts at Syracuse University, with a minor in Animation and Visual Effects. Through both live-action and animation, his work explores social problems and philosophical conflicts utilizing dramatic narrative. His sophomore year film, “Final Cut” was selected for numerous festivals and was featured on the streaming service Mometu. Recently, Ryan had the opportunity to work with high school students as an instructional assistant at the SU Pre-College Summer Film Academy, as well as in the Spring 2024 pilot edition of Teens with a Movie Camera.
RAYAN MOHAMED
RAYAN MOHAMED
Junior Undergrad,
SU VPA Film Major
Imagining America Fellow
+ Narratio Fellow
Rayan Mohamed (she/her) is a junior majoring in Film at Syracuse University with a minor in anthropology. She is interested in expanding access to filmmaking, and redefining who filmmakers are and what stories they are expected to tell. She is a 2020 Narratio Fellow and 2023 Imagining America fellow. Additionally, she co-coached multiple programs at the North Side Learning Center such as the speaking circle program for Syracuse youth associated with SU’s Engaged Humanities Network and has facilitated other programs as well. Her work has been featured or screened by National Geographic Photo Camp, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Syracuse University, The Daily Orange, Richmond Virginia Museum of Art, Connecticut gallery and the North Side Learning Center.
Summer 2024 Workshop Guest:
Summer 2024 Workshop Guest:
DR. ROCHELE ROYSTER
DR. ROCHELE ROYSTER
Rochele Royster, Ph.D, ATR-BC is an assistant professor of art therapy in the Department of Creative Arts Therapy. Prior to joining Syracuse University, Royster was a learning behavior specialist in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and lecturer in the Department of Art Therapy and Counseling at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Depaul University (Department of Education), and Adler University (clinical psychology department doctoral program).
Royster has worked for the last 20 years integrating art therapy into the educational setting and has worked with youth, adolescents and young adults with various learning differences such as autism, traumatic brain disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Using a trans-disciplinary approach, she is interested in community and school-based art therapy; race, power and policy in education; multi-sensory methods in reading and literacy; trauma-informed classrooms; environmental justice; black disability; and special education as it relates to decolonization of pedagogy and practice in institutional and public settings.
Royster’s dissertation developed as a grassroots approach to arts-based social change and addresses gun violence, death and grief through memorials of resistance. She assisted in creating transformative art-based social justice curriculum for Cities of Peace/Jane Addams Hull House, the Teacher Institute/Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Office of Arts and Education at CPS. She has conducted workshop series for Chicago Park District teaching artists. She has also worked with sexual, domestic violence and human trafficking survivors and Cambodian youth refugees.
In 2017, Royster completed a Ph.D. in community psychology at National Louis University in Chicago and also holds master’s degrees in special education (2000) from Virginia State University and art therapy (2002) from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago as well as a B.F.A. in studio arts (1998) from Virginia State University. Royster serves on the steering committee of Psychologists for Social Responsibility and is a board director for the American Art Therapy Association.
MONAE KYHARA
MONAE KYHARA
SU VPA Film Grad Student
M.F.A. Candidate
Assistant at Urban Video Project
Monae Kyhara (she/they) is an emerging creative focused on an introspective style of multimedia filmmaking and cinematography called "Tantrum Cinema". Having the opportunity to screen films at a variety of establishments, such as BlueStar, Slab Cinema, and Mixology with Undiscovered Works, and the Images Festival she is now two years into her MFA while working as a technical assistant for the Urban Video Project at Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY.
VANESSA MARCOS PIRES DE OLIVEIRA
VANESSA MARCOS PIRES DE OLIVEIRA
SU VPA Film Student
Senior Undergrad
2024 VPA Scholar
Vanessa Marcos Pires de Oliveira (she/her) is a multi-media artist, writer, traveler and aspiring educator. With a passion for documentary photography and filmmaking, she has spent her time as an undergraduate film student at Syracuse University exploring personal identities, family histories and the bizarreness of “growing up”. Brazilian by heart, soul and documentation, Vanessa is a firm believer that education, creativity and love can take you anywhere you wish to be — even if only by imagination.
RYAN BODE
RYAN BODE
SU VPA Film Student
Junior Undergrad
2025 VPA Scholar
Ryan Bode (he/him) is a writer, editor, and director from Colorado currently pursuing a B.F.A. degree in Film and Media Arts at Syracuse University, with a minor in Animation and Visual Effects. Through both live-action and animation, his work explores social problems and philosophical conflicts utilizing dramatic narrative. His sophomore year film, “Final Cut” was selected for numerous festivals and was featured on the streaming service Mometu. Recently, Ryan had the opportunity to work with high school students as an instructional assistant at the SU Pre-College Summer Film Academy, as well as in the Spring 2024 pilot edition of Teens with a Movie Camera.
THANK YOU to our network of supporters:
EHN: Engaged Humanities Network at Syracuse University
Nottingham High School
Bird Library Digital Scholarship Space
CNYCF: Central New York Community Foundation
Syracuse University Humanities Center's
2025 Symposium on "Community" + 2026 Symposium on "Creativity"
This project is made possible through the CNY Arts Grants for Regional Arts and Cultural Engagement regrant program thanks to a New York State Senate Initiative supported by the NYS Legislature, the Office of the Governor and administered by the New York State Council on the Arts.
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