Yaya is a Russian filmmaker based in the USA. She received her MFA from Temple University, has worked as a director’s assistant, cinematographer, producer, editor, gaffer, boom operator and prop master both in the US and in Russia. Music videos she directed played at Ann Arbor, Indie Memphis, Denver, Cucalorus, HollyShorts, and other film festivals. Keep It Quiet, her first short film as a director, stars Rusty Schwimmer, a character actor featured in over 100 films and TV shows (The Informant!, Amistad, Twister, North Country, A Little Princess), was shot by Minka Farthing-Kohl (The Detroiters for Comedy Central, music videos for A$AP Rocky, Fischerspooner) and was art directed by Cheri Anderson (Dear White People, Blood Stripe).