Rechna Varma

Rechna produces under her banner Rechna Varma Productions. Recent films include the arthouse horror film DO NOT DISTURB (2023) which was theatrically released by Dark Star in the U.S.. DND won best lead performance at Phoenix Fearcon & Atlanta Horror Festival and Best Psychological Horror at the Atlanta Horror Festival, Best Actress & Best Cinematography at New York City Horror Festival. Her sophmore feature CATCH AND RELEASE (2019) an adaptation of the Pulitzer nominated play “Keely and Du” and her first feature film was MARGARITA (2012) which won Best Feature at Inside Out in Toronto, Canada.

Executive life includes her scripted television work as director of development at Sphere Media Plus: THIS LIFE (CBC), Emmy nominated and CSA winner 19-2 (CTV) and BAD BLOOD (Netflix). She was the executive in charge of production & post at the Canadian Film Centre in Toronto from 2011 - 2014 where she cultivated talent and over saw production for 100+ productions per year. Rechna also has extensive producing experience working in lifestyle television. Series include: SMART WOMAN’S SURVIVAL GUIDE (W NETWORK), PARTY MAMA’S (SLICE), THE UNSELLABLES (HGTV). 

Rechna created a series called LOVE RULES which was in development with eOne. Her spec pilot was shortlisted as a semi-finalist for Content London in 2019 and gained Rechna an invitation to the NETFLIX-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative Professional Development Program in 2020. The script went on to win an award at the 2020 Panel Presentation & Juried Script Competition for the University Film and Video Association (UFVA) Virtual Conference. In 2024 Rechna won Best Short Script during Canes Film Festival (University of Miami showcase) for her writing work on A BIRTHDAY TO REMEMBER.

In 2022 Rechna’s added director to her skillset by shooting her award winning short film “Goodbye”. In 2023 Rechna went on to direct the music video “Worth It” for Miami based R&B artist Donnetta Loper. Rechna is currently in post production for her feature film directorial debut “Hello Darling”.

Alongside her filmmaking, Rechna is an Associate Professor of Professional Practice in the department of Cinema Arts at the University of Miami. She earned her BA from the University of Windsor, an MBA from the University of Toronto and a Global Executive MBA from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland while studying internationally.

As faculty at the University of Miami, Rechna’s courses live at the intersection of art and business. Her courses include: Designing Innovation, Interactive Media Business Essentials, Creative Producing, The Independent Producer, Business of Motion Pictures, Transmedia and Motion Pictures Studio. Rechna teaches both undergraduates and MFA students. She is head of the producing track for the deepartment’s MFA program. Her fellowships and awards include: 2020 Excellence in Civic Engagement Award, 2018 Faculty Learning Community Fellowship and 2018 NATPE Education Faculty Fellowship. Rechna is a Trustee on the  UFVF (University of Film Video Foundation) board and she was a committee member for the  Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant program (CREATE Grant). Her work with the Miami Herbert Business School includes executive education on authentic storytelling, design thinking and effective communication. Clients have included: VISA, Liberty Mutual and NBC/Telemundo.

Rechna is an alumna of the Canadian Film Centre and is a member of The Gotham and NYWIFT.