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Reality Check Forum 2025 / Master Class

More Than Meets the Eye:

Master Class in Visual Storytelling

Opal H. Bennett, Moderator; Senior Producer, POV/ Executive Producer, POV Shorts

Mohammadreza Eyni, Co-Director, Cutting Through Rocks

Sara Khaki, Co-Director, Cutting Through Rocks

Rachel Grady, Co-Director, FOLKTALES

Join the visionary filmmakers behind Cutting Through Rocks and FOLKTALES for an illuminating conversation about the craft of visual storytelling and the power of cinematic language to evoke transformation, resilience, and place. Though distinct in focus—Cutting Through Rocks follows Sara Shahverdi, the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, as she challenges patriarchal norms and empowers teenage girls; FOLKTALES captures a formative year in the lives of teenagers at a folk high school in Arctic Norway—both films immerse us in environments where individuals are reshaping their futures in bold and unexpected ways.

Through thoughtful composition, rhythm, and tone, each film uses image and atmosphere to express emotional and social landscapes that words alone cannot convey. This master class will explore how choices in cinematography, pacing, sound, and scene construction can build intimacy, capture cultural nuance, and convey profound inner change—offering valuable insights for anyone interested in how documentaries create deeply felt cinematic experiences.

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Opal H. Bennett

Senior Producer, POV/ Executive Producer, POV Shorts

Opal H. Bennett is an Emmy-winning Senior Producer at POV and Executive Producer at POV Shorts. Under her leadership, POV Shorts broadcast the 2021 NewsDoc Emmy Winner for Short Documentary, The Love Bugs. Previously, Opal was the Shorts Programmer and Director of Artist Development at DOCNYC and Senior Programmer at Athena Film Festival. She has also worked with Nantucket Film Festival, Aspen ShortsFest, and Tribeca Film Festival, amongst others.
Opal is a member of the AMPAS Documentary branch and is a Board Member of the Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC). She has participated in various festival juries and selection committees for film grants. A Columbia Law grad, Opal holds a Master’s from the LSE and received her B.A. from NYU.

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Mohammadreza Eyni

Co-Director, Cutting Through Rocks

Mohammadreza Eyni is the Grand Jury Award winner of the world cinema documentary category of Sundance Film Festival for his feature documentary, CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS. A Sundance and Tribeca Alumnus, Mohammadreza is a director, producer, and cinematographer whose career and cinematic approach bridges boundaries and elevates underrepresented voices, connecting diverse perspectives globally. A co-founder of Gandom Films Production L.L.C., Mohammmadreza’s works have earned IDA nomination and international recognition.

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Sara Khaki

Co-Director, Cutting Through Rocks

Sara Khaki is the Grand Jury Award winner of the world cinema documentary category of Sundance Film Festival for her feature documentary, CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS. Her co-directed film, Our Iranian Lockdown, streaming on the Guardian, received an IDA nomination. Her co-directed Netflix original, Convergence, received an Emmy nomination. A Chicken & Egg Films and Sundance Alumni, Sara is a director, producer, and editor with dedication to stories about gender equity.

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Rachel Grady

Director, FOLKTALES

Rachel Grady is the co-owner of Brooklyn, NY-based Loki Films. She co-directed Jesus Camp (Academy Award nominee), The Boys of Baraka (Emmy nominee), 12th & Delaware (Peabody Award winner), Detropia (Emmy winner), Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You, One of Us, Love Fraud and Endangered.