Meet the Filmmakers
Gillian Scott-Ward, PhD
Director/Producer/Story Editor/DP/Lighting
Dr. Gillian Scott-Ward is a licensed clinical psychologist, filmmaker, and nationally recognized advocate at the intersection of mental health, racial identity, and cultural healing.
In 2019, her documentary Back to Natural -- an internationally screened and award-winning film exploring the global politics of Black hair -- was cited in New York City's landmark legal enforcement guidance on natural hair discrimination, the first of its kind in the United States. That same year, she was selected by the NYC Commission on Human Rights to lead the mandated racial justice and equity training in the city's first resolved hair discrimination case, involving Hershberger Salons. Her work in this space has been recognized with a Proclamation from New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
Dr. Scott-Ward consults with organizations, institutions, and corporations on the psychological and somatic dimensions of hair discrimination -- helping teams move beyond policy compliance into genuine cultural transformation. She brings a rare combination of clinical depth, lived expertise, and storytelling power to workshops, training programs, and public speaking engagements.
Her therapeutic practice integrates trauma-focused care, somatic bodywork, EMDR, and mindfulness, with a particular focus on identity, embodiment, and healing for high-achieving professionals and leaders.
She is available for corporate training, media commentary, speaking engagements, and consultation.
.
Marquis Smalls
Executive Producer
Marquis Smalls is a dedicated, driven and dynamic Screenwriter-Director- Producer pursuing his passion of creating innovative, entertaining stories for the web, stage, film, and television while offering a fresh perspective on African-American culture, stories and characters. His latest film, Hating Obama, a documentary is now on Starz and Amazon Prime.
As a 2013 New York Foundation of the Arts Screenwriting Fellowship recipient, multi-award winning Director and Producer at many top film festivals throughout the world and an overall hard working, committed, creative visionary, Marquis continues his journey in the content creation world with a big heart and loving soul
Dominic Ward
Producer
Dominic (B.A., Brown) has spent over 15 years in finance. A film lover, Dom's most recent work in the industry was as a PA on the 2011 indie "Happythankyoumoreplease." This premiered at the 26th Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Dom invested in “Peter and Vandy”, which premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Dom also invested in “Were the World Mine”, which premiered in 2008 and won over a dozen awards at film festivals worldwide. His knowledge of finance, development and fundraising are an asset to this film.
Jacopo Francia
Graphics/Sound/Color Editor
Jacopo Francia is a native Italian and son of Linda Brunetta, the premiere Italian TV producer. He studied screenwriting and production at the Italian National Film School “Centro Sperimentale" and film making and editing at the "New York Film Academy". He recently worked on two feature films for the renowned Italian editor Cecilia Zanuso.