Downhill

fEATURE fiLM

Inspired by true events: Newlyweds must weigh the implications of gene altering their unborn baby when it's found to be high risk for significant disability.

Meet the Team

Creator - Tom Slivinski

Tom Lucein is an American actor/producer/filmmaker from Morris County, New Jersey. A lifelong performer, he has a BFA from Pace University and an MFA from California Institute of the Arts. Having currently established East Wave Productions in Los Angeles, CA, he is currently leading the creative team for DOWNHILL and is a producer on the short ASH. Some of his previous credits include Syfy channel, YES Network, Warner Bros, along with over 200 stage, TV, and film performances .

Director of Photography - Nasreen Alkhateeb

Director - Brian Hashimoto

Brian Hashimoto is a director seeking to stir the innermost chambers of the soul with raw reflections of our fragile, terrifying, and paradoxically awe-inspiring humanity, inciting us to better ourselves both individually and collectively through live performances, films, and installations. He has produced and directed for Michael Almereyda, Shen Wei, Annie Saunders, Aditya Prakash, and Lewis Klahr. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from Ithaca College and a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from the California Institute of the Arts.

Nasreen Alkhateeb is an award-winning cinematographer whose work amplifies under-represented voices. By illuminating racial injustice, gender inequity, and marginalized youth, Nasreen thrives as a leader on diverse storytelling projects. Her ability to motivate audiences is a direct result of being Black, Iraqi, 1st gen, a Survivor, and a person with multiple Disabilities. In 2020, Nasreen was chosen as the Lead Cinematographer for Kamala Harris' successful Vice Presidential campaign, and Oprah's series Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. In 2019, she Executive Produced East of the River that screened the Tribeca Film Festival, she lensed campaigns for NASA and the Women’s March, with an emphasis on BIPOC voices. In addition to being the Director of Photography on two narrative films highlighting LGBTQ and Disabled storylines, Nasreen was honored as Cinematographer of the Year by NASA for her work in the Arctic. When she is not on set, Nasreen teaches women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ self-defense empowerment.

Director of Photography - Nareen Alkhateeb

Producer - Russell Pikus

Russell “Starshine” Pikus has over a decade working in the entertainment industry at various studios, networks and design firms, including Paramount Pictures, the Jim Henson Company, and Walt Disney Imagineering. His educational background consists of four degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder (Film Theory & History, Film Production, English Literature, and Classical Antiquity), a Masters Degree in Film Directing from California Institute of the Arts, and a future MBA from UC Davis. He is currently employed at Walt Disney Animation Studios working in production management on features and shorts.

Producer - Julius Erik Keane

Julius Erik Keane has a Broadcasting Certification from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and is a passionate Producer and Writer. He is full of positive energy and is goal-oriented. A big part of his passion lies in telling authentic stories that reflect real life, especially as an autistic individual who struggles with mental health issues himself. Julius is a big advocate for mental health and disabilities and was drawn to Downhill for its powerful message, amazing story, and strong desire for authentic portrayals of disabled characters in the film. Presently, Julius has become a Producer on Downhill and continues to and bring in the good vibes the ability to wear many hats. Besides being a Producer on Downhill, Julius is working on writing his first feature-length film.

Line Producer - Pat Patterson

Pat is an accomplished actor as well as an award-winning producer; giving her a unique perspective on storytelling. She is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and at HB Studio she studied with the legendary Uta Hagen. She is a seasoned storyteller, who has chosen to be on the other side of the camera, producing her own projects under the Pate Productions banner (www.pateproductions.com) as well as assisting creative producers with their visions as a line producer. She has worked on short films, TV pilots, and feature films in this capacity with budgets that range up to 6 million. Her first feature Junction, a winner of 17 Major Festival Awards was named by Indiewire as one of the Top 5 Best First Feature in 2013.

Producer - Liam Hawley

Liam is an American Producer, Actor, and Writer. Growing up in Phoenix Arizona he began getting involved in independent projects while attending college at Arizona State University where he studied psychology and theater. Since graduating, Liam has produced and acted in a number of features, shorts, web series, and television shows that have been on such networks as the BBC, the Syfy channel, and ID Discovery. A shared love for deep and creative story telling lead Liam and Tom to create EastWave Productions where they’re very excited to create their first feature length film Downhill.