Danish Renzu is a Kashmir-born film director and screenwriter also an alum of the University of California, Los Angeles. His debut feature independent film, Half Widow (2018), premiered at the prestigious Seattle International Film Festival receiving rave reviews worldwide. His second feature The Illegal (2019) featuring a stellar cast including Suraj Sharma from Oscar-winning film Life of Pi won a Jury award at Mumbai International Film Festival and also was nominated for best narrative at Austin Film Festival. With no cinema in Kashmir, Danish Renzu hopes to inspire a new generation of Kashmiri filmmakers to practice their art as a force for unity in the conflicted region. He opened his own home production in Kashmir with a goal of reviving cinema back in the valley encouraging youth and local talent to pursue their dreams, also bring the lost culture, music, and traditions of Kashmir to a worldwide audience.