Our guests, Reena Dutt and Michalyn "Mikie" Steiner-Killian talk about their experience working together as Asian American artists and the new short narrative film they're producing, FOUND. The movie is based on Mikie's experience as an adoptee from Korea. Find out what it was like growing up Asian American and why they feel compelled to tell their stories. WeXL is proud to announce our support of FOUND as an Executive Producer. 

Reena Dutt (Writer/Director) is a city girl with a country soul who believes in creating a conscience, on and off stage. Directing Credits: Film/TV: “Good Trouble” (Disney|FreeForm, Directing Shadow), “Too Many Bodies” (Music and Dance film), "Snapshot!", "3 Puffs of Gold". Awards/Honors: 2019 South Asian Film Festival of America Audience Award (Full list of 11+ awards for “Too Many Bodies” available on request), NewFilmmakers On Location Finalist. In theatre, she has directed and assistant directed in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco with most notable works at The Geffen Playhouse, Sacred Fools, The Vagrancy, Playground LA and SF, and East West Players. As a producer, her films have been seen at Sundance, Los Angeles Film Festival, Outfest, Frameline, Inside Out, Whistler, Cucalorous, and NBCUniversal. She has produced for John Legend, Lulu Wang, Justin Lin’s Youtube Network, and Evite.com. Fellowships and Awards: 2020 Drama League NY Directing Fellowship Semifinalist, 2016 SFFilm KRF Fellowship Recipient, 2014 Project Involve at Film Independent, 2012 Finalist NewFilmmakers: On Location Competition. Unions/Affiliations: Lincoln Center Directors Lab, Directors Lab West (Associate Producer), SFFilm, Film Independent’s Project Involve, IFP, Cinefemme.

Michalyn "Mikie" Steiner-Killian (actor/producer for FOUND) is a choreographer, performer, and educator in ballet, jazz, and musical theatre. Recent choreography credits include Mamma Mia, The Music Man, Seussical the Musical at Mainstage Theatre and The Pirates of Penzance, Some Enchanted Evening, and Return to the Forbidden Planet at Stageworks Northwest Theatre. Her last acting roles were Helen in The Trojan Women (2020) and Corie Bratter in Barefoot in the Park (2019) at Stageworks Northwest Theatre. Michalyn studied theatre arts at Portland State University and has been choreographing shows since 1999. Michalyn is a Korean adoptee who finds joy in connecting her inherent passion for the arts to discover that her biological mom was also a performer. After traveling extensively, Michalyn now resides in the small town she grew up in, just north of Portland. She feels it is vital to contribute to the arts in her hometown as it directly affects the culture and community where she raises her two children.

WeXL founder and CEO Arabella DeLucco hosts WeXL Weekly, a podcast that encompasses WeXL's mission to empower and unite through passion, purpose, and story. Listen in to learn the inner workings and journeys of creators and creative individuals from all over the world—experience how stories unite us. Together, We eXceL. To support our work, please go to WeXL.org.

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