THE
TEAM
Who We Are?
Asatuurs Keim
Founding Academic and Creative Director
Asatuurs is a filmmaker, higher education leader and researcher. He has led and developed undergraduate film curricula on programmes formally validated by De Montfort University and Pearson, gaining extensive experience in academic governance, programme design, and practice‑based teaching in higher education.
He works across self-shooting directing, cinematography, and visual storytelling, with a particular emphasis on alternative, production‑centred film education that connects emerging filmmakers to real‑world practice and collaborative networks.
Romana Carén Lakinger-Njari
Self-directing for actors and filmmakers | Course Director
Romana is a filmmaker, actor, researcher, and educator whose work explores the creative and practical challenges of self-directing in film. Combining artistic practice with academic research, she investigates the relationship between performance, authorship, and screen storytelling.
Trained at the Actors Studio Pallas, RADA, and the London Film Academy, she brings a holistic understanding of performance shaped by experience in acting, theatre-making, writing, and vocal coaching.
She holds an MA in Filmmaking from the University of Staffordshire and is currently undertaking a practice-led PhD on self-directing.
As an educator, Romana integrates industry experience with research-led teaching, supporting emerging filmmakers in developing their creative voice, with particular expertise in directing performance, working with actors, and author-driven cinema.
Josh Farrell
Screenwriting for directors | Course Director
Josh is a screenwriter, director, and educator who specialises in genre films which explore social issues and micro-budget filmmaking. His debut micro-budget horror-comedy feature film, Sock, premiered at the 2025 Raindance Film Festival and is set for a streaming release.
Josh has worked as a lecturer on HND, BA, and MA courses accredited by De Montfort University and Pearson, teaching subjects related to Screenwriting, Directing, Film Studies, and the Creative Industries. He holds an MA in Filmmaking from De Montfort University, and is currently undertaking a practice-led PhD focusing on the Theme of Class Struggle in Screenwriting. As an educator, his teaching methods focus on practical approaches to screenwriting, combining his industry experience with theoretical approaches to help students develop their own methods and find their voice.
Øyvind Aamli
Directing for character-led creative documentary | Course Director
Øyvind is a director, producer and educator specialising in character-led documentaries. He is particularly interested in the human condition, exploring topics such as identity, belonging, neurodiversity, resilience, coping mechanisms, and social inclusion, combining observational and participatory storytelling with innovative creative documentary practice.
He combines hands-on industry experience with person-centred teaching at the post-graduate level, supporting emerging filmmakers in developing authentic voices.
Øyvind’s documentary Being Someone Else won Best Documentary at the Children's International Film Festival Seattle and the UNICEF Innocenti Film Festival and continues to screen at reputable festivals internationally. In addition, Øyvind's films are also used to inform decision-makers in education and at the government level.
He holds an MA in Documentary Film Studies at DMU, is a Kids Kino Docs alumnus, and has over 20+ years of experience across film, television, education, and the creative industries.
