Sushma Khadepaun
Adjunct Professor
Born and raised in India, Sushma is a writer/director based in New York City. She often writes stories that explore identity, freedom, and the myth of the American Dream. She is an active champion of intersectional feminist storytelling.
Her short film ‘Anita’ premiered In Competition at the Venice Film Festival 2020. The film won several awards including the Gotham Award/Focus Features’ Student Short Film Showcase, National Board of Review Student Grant Award and the ‘Grand Prix: New Talents’ award at PÖFF Tallinn Nights Shorts Festival. Sushma’s feature script ‘Salt’ is a recipient of the San Francisco Film Westridge Grant and was invited to the Torino Film NEXT Lab.
Sushma was part of the La Fémis International Co-Production Atélier in Paris and Pitch NY in New York City organized by NBCUniversal and the Governor’s Office of Motion Picture & Television. Her previous short film ‘Foren’ premiered at Palm Springs International ShortFest.
Along with creating her own work, Sushma mentors screenwriters at the Sundance Co//ab, a digital expression of the Sundance Labs and Festival that provides access to creators from underrepresented communities around the world.
Sushma is currently developing ‘Salt’, a feature film about an Indian woman’s quest for the American Dream. She is an alumna of the MFA Program in Screenwriting and Directing at Columbia University.