Roja Gashtili
Writing
Biography
Roja Gashtili is a writer and director. She was born in Iran and later relocated to Missouri. After completing college, she moved to New York City, where she began her career in documentary filmmaking at Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions. She served as a coordinator on Charles Ferguson’s Oscar-nominated No End in Sight (2007). She contributed to notable projects including Martin Scorsese’s George Harrison: Living In The Material World (2011) and Lorne Michaels’ SNL: In The 90s (2015). Roja has also worked as a producer on MTV’s Exiled (2008), Morgan Spurlock’s Warrior Poets (2009), and content for Refinery29. Based in Los Angeles, Roja collaborates closely with filmmaker Julia Lerman. Together, they created the short film Rita Mahtoubian Is Not A Terrorist (2015) during their fellowship at AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women. The film premiered at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival and was nominated for the 2015 Student Visionary Award. Their earlier work earned them the Tribeca All Access grant and inclusion in IFP’s Emerging Storytellers Labs. Roja and Julia made a short film, The Last Shift (2020), which was featured in the inaugural Tribeca/Chanel Women’s Filmmaker Program. There, they presented the project to a jury including Julianne Moore, Patricia Clarkson, and Mynette Louie. They were also selected as fellows in Film Independent’s 2016 Directing Lab, where they are developing a feature adaptation of Rita Mahtoubian Is Not A Terrorist. The screenplay was one of five narrative projects chosen for the 2015 Sundance Creative Producing Labs. Roja served as executive story editor on Wonder Man (2026).
Known For
Simon and Trevor, two actors at opposite ends of their careers, chase life-changing roles.
Wonder Man
With better luck, better choices, better posture... Josh Corman could’ve been a rock star. Now he teaches fifth grade, and though he loves his students, he still struggles to find happiness and meaning in a world that sometimes feels short on both.
Mr. Corman
Jack works at a suspension facility where people choose to halt their lives. On the night of his suspension, Jack's life takes a turn when he meets Jo.
Jack and Jo Don't Want to Die
Pinky is the latest film from Refinery29’s award-winning Shatterbox Anthology, a short film series dedicated to spotlighting the voices of female filmmakers. Written and directed by Roja Gashtili and Julia Lerman, the coming of age short inspired by true events highlights the power dynamics at play between girls on the verge of womanhood, and the pivotal experiences that define them.
Pinky
When Iranian-born Rita Mahtoubian sets out to change her life from ordinary to extraordinary, she accidentally captures the attention of a homeland security agent in this satirical comedy about romance, terrorism and trying to be a better person.