PRODUCER & CREATIVE CATALYST  :  Ani Gurunlian

A lifelong lover of cinema, Ani is genuinely passionate about filmmaking.  Renown as a resource of original ideas, she’s a born-and-raised Montrealer of pure-blooded Armenian stock.  Among her many charming attributes, she is: multilingual, ceaselessly imaginative, savagely witty, a compulsive reader, a serious amateur photographer, and a hopeless romantic.

While acquiring a degree in English Literature from the University of Ottawa, she worked at the Privy Council Office and the Department of Justice, and volunteered at the Ottawa Call Distress Centre.  Upon re-settling in Montreal, she worked as a bookkeeper in an accounting firm, developing a fondness for management and organization.

As her commitment to filmmaking became focused, she worked closely with Brenda Keesal, who was voted one of Montreal’s favorite filmmakers.  She then collaborated with Brenda and Vito Balenzano of Valkyrie Films to help them independently distribute their films online.  She later joined Tommy Groszman at FAT Productions to assist him in the production of Saunders Farm.

Upon launching Guru Films, Ani began collaborating with visionary directors who matched her hunger for filmmaking.  In producing a repertoire of high quality short films, Guru Films is pushing hard to build enough momentum to start making full-length features.  In the words of Thomas Jefferson, “The harder we work, the more luck we seem to have.”

WRITER / DIRECTOR :  Sebastien Morin

Obsessed with the film noir genre, Sebastien infuses his dark imagery with colorful pop art extravagance.  His main characters are hard-boiled, and the leading ladies are dangerous beauties.  His influences include the photography of David Lachapelle, and films such as Fight Club, Running Scared, and La Femme Nikita.  Always full of new ideas and enthusiasm, Sebastien delivers strikingly stylish films that never fail to entertain.



ACTOR / WRITER / DIRECTOR :  Danny Richer-Desjardins

Danny knows what audiences like.  His latest short, Zombie Poker, was received with laughs and applause at the 2008 FantAsia film festival.  An encyclopaedic knowledge of gangster movies and slasher flicks enabled him to produce innumerable short films.  His amiable personality and fresh ideas make him a well known team player.  In collaborating with Guru Films, Danny hopes to embark on making entertaining full-length features.



ACTOR / WRITER / DIRECTOR :  Tommy Malone

Poised to be Canada's next comedy star, Tommy is as rubber-faced and effortlessly funny as Jim Carrey.  He demonstrated his incredible skills on our very first short, Stop Chucking, and continues to deliver the laughs on Improv nights at Comedyworks Montreal.  His mandate is to produce clean comedy that everyone can enjoy.  Guru Films is very excited to be producing his hilariously endearing short film, Snip Cut, .



SET & COSTUME DESIGNER :   Melanie Michaud

Melanie's astute judgment and no-nonsense work ethic played a crucial role in the successful completion of our films.  She flawlessly managed an astonishing number of responsibilities on set, including set designer, first assistant-director, script supervisor, props supervisor, and wardrobe mistress.  A graduate from the Theatre Department at John Abbott College, she completed a prestigious internship as first assistant in costume & set design at the Banff Centre's Theatre Arts.



MAKEUP :  Caroline Mégélas

Another graduate of John Abbot's Theatre department, "Caro" has proven to be a valuable member of our team.  Whether the character needed to look dead, savagely rock ‘n roll, or simply natural, “Caro” has always come through.  Her warmth and shining exuberance make her an essential accessory on set.  We hope that she continues to hone her skills on all our productions.



GRAPHIC DESIGN & LIGHTING :  Jars of Stars

We’re happy to announce the founding of another rewarding partnership with talented graphic designers: Richard Strother and Samantha Wexler, from Jars of Stars.  Their remarkable range of skills and confident, cool-headed logic navigate us through storms.  For all of your graphic design needs, contact info@jarsofstars.com.



MUSIC :  Matthew Hiscock

Many thanks to Matthew Hiscock, the bringer of bodacious beats via his label: Bodega Audio.  He’s known in the underground scene as Distillery Mastering, Panic Button, Fat East Coast, and Magnetic Nowhere.  Check out his wicked rhythms at www.bootlegsounds.com