Meet the 2023-2024 AWC Mentors

We're excited to introduce our 2023-2024 Armed With a Camera Mentors – Veialu Aila-Unsworth & Asavari Kumar! Get to know more about our mentors below!

ABOUT THE MENTORS

Veialu Aila-Unsworth (she/her) is a writer/director of mixed heritage from Papua New Guinea (Kairuku, Central Province) and British-New Zealand. Her work explores the complexities of underrepresented females finding their voice in the world. Veialu is also an award-winning television creative director/producer and worked with Australia's largest television Networks, NINE and TEN.

Asavari Kumar (she/her) is a filmmaker & visual artist from India, currently based in Los Angeles. Drawn to cross-cultural narratives, Asavari uses character-driven storytelling to parse her evolving cultural and political identity. She is a co-founder of Supernova Design and has recently launched a pottery collective titled Centered Chaos, blending ideas of balance and disorder to reflect the artisanal process of creating ceramics.

Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE FILM/MEDIA ARTS

Veialu: Growing up as an only child, I entertained myself (and my cats, rabbits, chickens, mice, goldfish, and hedgehogs) by writing and performing plays, drawing, and making weird videos so it was a natural progression. I guess you could say loneliness inspired me lol.

Asavari: My childhood obsession with comic books and cartoons sort of set the stage for me to pursue an animation program in my undergrad. Since I studied animation in the context of design and communication, I initially looked at it as a means of creative problem-solving. It was only after working for a few years in the broadcast industry in India and pursuing an MFA in experimental animation, that I began to make the shift to using animation as a medium to tell my own stories.

Q: WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO ON YOUR FREE TIME

Veialu: Listen to true crime podcasts, cuddle my cats, grow a small jungle in my apartment, mediate, hot tub, Instagram-blog about BIPOC and LGBTQ+ filmmakers in old Hollywood (@hollywood.diversity)

Asavari: I'm obsessed with pottery. I do both hand-building and wheel-throwing. It's an intrinsically rewarding practice that nearly always triggers a flow state.

FAVORITE FILM

Veialu: This is so hard! I have three: Moonlight (2016), In The Mood For Love (2000), Whale Rider (2002)

Asavari: Spirited Away (2001)

FAVORITE TV SHOW

Veialu: Game of Thrones

Asavari: The Office

CURRENT WATCH

Veialu: Lessons in Chemistry

Asavari: Blue Eye Samurai

MUSIC ARTIST ON REPEAT

Veialu: Billie Holiday and Bach

Asavari: Santogold and Röyksopp

RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATION

Veialu: Wi Korean BBQ all-you-can-eat

Asavari: A tie between 'Arth Bar & Kitchen' and 'Roots Indian Bistro'

UNPOPULAR OPINION

Veialu: Sprinkles look pretty but taste gross. Ice cream should be served plain.

Asavari: Bananas are gross. I don't care how healthy they are - everything about them is horrifying.

Q: WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT FOR THIS YEAR’S AWC

Veialu: Seeing each of our fellows go on their unique journeys and hone what they are trying to express

Asavari: I love that this year the project format goes beyond short films. Really excited to see this year's fellows exploring different mediums.

WHERE TO FIND YOU

Veialu: Instagram @lulu_loves_tv

Asavari: Instagram @supernovadesigninc & @asavarikumar