varya rootwood

We’re going to @tribeca ! @bedj , I’ve said this to you, but Homesick leaves me in tears every time. @lizayank eyes and @96kbpsquality music and @igorkropotov tender lens break my heart anew, over and over again, in the best way.💔 Homesick is also my story. I am also homesick. Starring: @lizayank @innayesilevskaya @__elyjelly__ & Luan Taveras Produced by @antonvk__ @varrya___ Co-producer @imjessli Creative producer @fredgynoel Cinematographer @igorkropotov Production design @ogrigore Costume design @zzzalena Editor @mia.hildebrand @ana.a.alpizar Sound design @stanislav.paushev Music @96kbpsquality AD @owainastles Art @mayracoralx @cinthyaft Makeup @oh_you_francey Casting advisors @oriana.sy.ng @25kblack Camera team @hussein1147 @lena_abraha @solatory.nyu @regen.ruben Production sound @mickbongiovi @jforjunayd Sound editor @mityakru Color grading @bryce.saucier Key art @happy_graphic_ Graphic design @lubovinthecity

some of my favorite directing frames from 2025. years ago my dear friends @allieavital and @autrenv and i played a game — trying to name our core nature in three words. for me, the one we landed on immediately was —“earnest.” this year it finally landed that “earnest” wasn’t something to outgrow, but the very place i can direct from. it took a lot of courage to stay unironically tender, but from that place the work began to feel more sustainable and — clearer. so, here’s to 2026, and to making more projects in and about nature and all the sensitive ways we’re transformed by it.

I don’t always know how to post on instagram in a timely manner (or at all, for that matter). But last summer, I had the honor of producing Cleopatra at the Mall, a @metmuseum commission starring the incredible @negga.ruth and directed by the brilliant @madeleine_hunt_ehrlich . It’s been on view at The Met since the fall, and today is the last day of the exhibit. So I guess this is a little goodbye post. Deep gratitude to my wonderful partner in crime, @ditteravenfire , whose generous spirit pulled us all through. ❤️ (Slides: 1-2 – stills from the film 3-4 – a little BTS 5-7 – the Met) 🎥 Credits: Starring: @negga.ruth Featuring: Peter McRobbie, Leonard Bakerman Director and Writer: @madeleine_hunt_ehrlich Producer: @ditteravenfire Producer: @varyarootwood Executive Producer: @brownmishka Director of Photography: @alexmashe Production Designer: @noralux Editor: Nicole Otero Costume Designer: @pspamelashepard Casting: @emilyruckercasting First Assistant Director: @giselle.garciacastro First Assistant Camera: @falcor6 Second Assistant Camera and Loader: @contre_777 Steadicam: @lizardoreyesjr Still Photographer: @dcderincelik Gaffer: @arielnehorayoff Best Electric: Jarrod Kloiber Key Grip: @burnzgood Best Grip: Fidelis Onyia Production Sound Mixer: @javi_caso Art Director: @studio_hans_nyc Art Department Assistants: Elijah Nurse and Emile Domise Sculptor: Zaq Landsberg Graphic Designer: Nabila Wirakusumah Picture Cars Provided by: Chris O’Rourke / Union Sparks LLC Supervising Location Manager: @chris_britton Tailor: Maureen Chevalier Hairstylist: @ikeyiap Makeup Artist: @damarismua Production Coordinator: @yukiday Set Production Assistants: @ctte.olv , Quan Robinson, and Calvin Theobalds Assistant to Ruth Negga: @anthull Key Grip, Washington DC Unit: Michael Wilson Production Assistants, Washington DC Unit: Paolo De Guzman and Ike Essilfie-Obeng Legal Services Provided by First Gen Law Production Counsel: Anuj Gupta and Rebecca Neipris

New directing work! This one was one of those pinch-me moments where I got to do two things I love most at the same time - run around the mountains and direct. It felt like magic and it felt like joy. So thankful for the crew, y’all give me warm & fuzzies. Directed by me 🖤 @thewildfactory production Executive Producer: @yuraliamin Starring: @robnowakowski @thenoblesmgmt Consulting Producer: @karachomistek @parkproductionhouse Producer: @varyarootwood Production Manager: @kaitlinmoerman Director of Photography: @igorkropotov Drone: @peakfpv.media Photographer: @devon_rogers Camera PA: @aidenjamesphotography Editor: @bluntjims Colorist: @cameronmarygold Sound Design & Composer: @noiagisela VFX: @b.art.vfx Office PA: @maria.fleischman Office PA: @ctte.olv Shot on location in Alberta, Canada.

➡➡ swipe for some fun BTS! 💕It's here! It's Love Day! It's a good day for a @spotify love story 💕 According to my Spotify Wrapped, I was in the top 8% of listeners worldwide last year, which is to say – I love music. A lot. So it was such a delight to tell this little music-inspired love story about @spotify ! Thank you to the wonderful wonderful cast & crew, who brought so much joy and playfulness!🕺🕺🕺 Starring: Caroline Burke, @carolineburke44 Aaron Vanek, @aaronbvanek Directed & Produced – 🎶🖤 1st AD – Mackenzie Jamieson, @04minivan Key PA – Stephen Musumeci PA – Jay Wilber, @jay.wlbr DP – Yura Makarov, @makarovyura 1st AC – Brian Molloy, @brian_molloy Gaffer – Ranya Aloui, @miso.ray Production Design – Joslyn Richardson, @theallwatch HMU Artist – Liz Schroeder, @liz_schroeder Editor – 🎶 Color – Yura Makarov, VFX - Henry Gelperin, @henry_gelperin Sound Design – Gisela Fullà Silvestre, @noiagisela

Warning! Long cheesy text below: When I think back on 2023, only one word really comes to mind – PROFOUND. It’s been a year of profound pain. I’ve experienced the kind of grief that makes your heart physically hurt (and you go see a cardiologist because you think you’re dying) and been nearly disabled for months from physical pain. I’ve gone into the deep sticky waters of depression, where I sat in the kind of deathly loneliness I didn’t know was possible. There were moments I genuinely didn’t think I was gonna make it. But it’s also been a year of profound change. A change so beautiful, I cannot help but feel grateful. I fell in love with producing and made some of my biggest projects yet. I worked on my first big agency jobs and also produced projects with no budget. I worked with friends and made friends while working. I reconnected with my passion for telling stories – from writing and directing my own, to helping bring other people’s stories to life. I sang in a choir for the first time in years, danced in a forest, danced at home, screamed my heart out to my favorite songs, stopped myself from screaming many times. I’ve met so many wonderful people and pushed people away and pulled people closer. But most importantly, I’ve touched (at least in moments) my own power, the quiet and oh-so-elusive feeling that I exist and that that is, in itself, enough. I now look at my own pictures and I’m starting to see myself. There is my heart, coming to the surface in ways I have never seen. So, here’s to 2024! To more producing (hit me up!), more art, more love, and to following my joy! ❤️

I've been meaning to make this post for a while, so here it goes finally – way back in April when @itsevaevans reached out to me to produce her new show, it sounded like a dream. It was ambitious, it was hilarious, it was the kind of team that any producer would be just SO lucky to have. Sweat and tears were definitely involved, but also so much joy and humor and wonder, helmed by the one and only, @itsevaevans ! Only a few months later, here we are – my biggest producing project yet, Club Rat is on Amazon Prime in all its hilarious sweeping glory! SO much love to all the incredible folx who made this project possible ❤️ Starring: Eva Evans, @itsevaevans Noa Fisher, @noalehf Marcela Avelina,@marcelaavelina Mickalia Forrester Ewen, @mickalia.cks Lauren Servideo, @servideo Jackson Walker Lewis, @jacksonwalkerlewis Lester Beck, @lesterblueberry Caleb Grandoit, @caleb.artistry Garret Forster, @garrett.forster Matt Pavich, @mattzpavich Jacob Saxton, @iamjacobsaxton Director - Allie Avital @allieavital , Eva Evans @itsevaevans Writer - Eva Evans, Caroline Hurwitz @aulait__ Executive Producer - Eva Evans, James Leo Wright Jr. @jameslwrightjr Producer - Varya Rootwood 🔪 Supervising Producer - Caroline Hurwitz @aulait__ Associate Producer - Meisa Brown @meisa.brown DoP - Zach Sky @sachzky , Sonja Tsypin @sonjatsypin , David Reichman @davireichman 1st AC - Ghitta Larsen @ghitta.larsen 2nd AC - Nicole Hansen, Andrew Barry, Ian Wishart @i.a_n_ Gaffer - David Reichman, Alex Rizzo @iggybupp Key Grip - Rome Peterson @resoundingbone , Lester Beck @lesterblueberry , Jim Ed Willis @jimedwills Swing - Shamus Lobene @spoopell , Jim Ed Willis Production Designer - Pili Weeber @piliweeber Art Director - Natalia Ferrara @nataliaferrara Casting Director - Charlotte Annoux @imshallot 1st AD - Ryan Velasquez, Jasmine Thomas @jasmineethomass Costume Designer - Nathan Watson @nthnwtsn Costume Assistant - Madeleine Gruder @maddiegrudes HMU Artist - Nina Carelli @nina_carelli_ Sound - Turner Curran @turner_a_c , Pat O’Leary @theofficialhotyoungman Boom - Conner Chase @sparklemotion_bk

NOIA @noiagisela  Eclipse de Amor featuring @buscabulla  is out now via @papermagazine ⚔️⚔️⚔️ Featuring @noiagisela  & @buscabulla Director @erinvassilopoulos Producer 🩸✋ Executive Producer @aguitainc Director of Photography @joshuaechevarriadop Editor @lindseynadolski Production Design @elysiabelilove  Stylist @yuritachi Assistant Stylist @briannaklouda Makeup & Nail Art @shiorisatomua Hair @ububee8 First AC @swelee_ Gaffer @grobovnikov G&E/Production Assistant @flolinusbaumann Art Production Assistant @vangojones Key Production Assistant @era_pachi Production Assistant @lanamill.r Choreographer @annmacau Colorist @cameronmarygold BTS Photography @maxlakner Record Label @cascine Song mixed and mastered by @jvalleau

Over two years ago, @makarovyura and I burrowed upstate to wait out the pandemic. And then, we made a short about it. What happens in one's life when all days seem to blend into one? Groundhog Year now available on @nobudge for subscribers! Open access on December 1st. View here: /videos/groundhog-year Credits: Starring, written & directed by: 🖐️ Cinematography: @makarovyura Sound Design: @ash.knowlton Title Design: @isobel.chiang

stalker

femininity is a performance

art hoes doing what they do best: art hoeing