She is the director, producer and cinematographer of the international sensation and Sundance smash-hit Sirens (executive produced by Natasha Lyonne and Maya Rudolph) co-founder of women-run production company Lady & Bird Films and member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia.

Rita’s episode of the Peabody-winning series Photographer was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and two Cinema Eye Honors. Her films My Country No More and City Rising are highly regarded for their tight editing and intimate lensing, creating humanistic portraits of the lives of young people swept up in major socio-political changes.

As both an established filmmaking talent in her own right and an accomplished cinematographer, Baghdadi shares her insights into navigating intimate character documentaries as a director and cinematographer with a distinct style and discerning eye for important stories and subjects that may be traditionally excluded from the spotlight.

Having also worked on projects for major players including Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon, Apple TV, Paramount+ and BBC, Baghdadi shares how she navigates crafting independent projects as well as commissions for global streamers and her methods for keeping story at the heart of her creative practice.