A one-in-a-billion story of disabled pregnancy and parenting
Meet the Team
Dani Izzie,
Producer and Protagonist
Dani, the subject of the film, is a new mom, wife, communications professional and disability influencer. When Dani became a quadriplegic as a young adult in 2009, she didn’t have any insight into the lives of upwards of 20% of the US population living with a disability. Dani’s recovery entailed more than just medical journey—it involved a profound reset of her own disability biases. As she adapted to her situation and as her understanding of disability evolved, she came to embrace her new identity. Today she’s a disability culture advocate, who is informed, confident and proactive. Her chair and lifestyle are an extension of who she is: A badass, smart, creative person. Dani is sharing her personal journey to help others with disabilities who are considering or experiencing parenthood. As her platform grows, it will inspire people to rethink their preconceptions and gain a new understanding of what ability means. If you want to join Dani's journey, follow Dani on her blog, on YouTube, and on Twitter.
Angie Gentile
Producer, Impact Producer
As VP of Impact and Outreach for Perpetuo Films, Angie provides strategic consulting and hands-on support to help clients achieve the change they seek. She's currently producer/impact producer of DANI'S TWINS [2022] and impact producer of PATROL [2023]. Prior to pivoting to the documentary film world, Angie was global advocacy and campaigns lead for the World Bank, where she specialized in multimedia, multi-channel engagement. There, she oversaw communications strategy and implementation—print, online, social, marketing, multimedia, and media—for a wide range of business lines, including a multiyear campaign that helped raise more than $125 billion from a global coalition of governments for projects in the world's poorest countries. Angie studied international relations at The American University and the University of Copenhagen, and art at Parque Lage Escola de Arte in Rio de Janeiro. She has worked in more than 3 dozen countries and speaks Spanish and Portuguese and okayish French and Italian. She lives in Arlington, VA. See Angie on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter.
Andy Arias
Producer
Andy brings more than a decade of experience working at the federal, state and local levels as a disability policy expert and advocate, seeking to create greater pathways for diversity and inclusion. Andy serves on a wide range of boards and commissions, including The HIV and AIDS Commission of Los Angeles and The President’s Committee on Persons with Intellectual Disabilities. Andy lectures and provides training for universities, high schools, and Congressional leaders on ADA compliance and the inclusion of people with disabilities and diverse backgrounds. In addition, Andy advocates for disability equality in the entertainment industry and has worked with Tom Hanks, Mark Ruffalo and Hilary Swank on diverse projects. He is often asked to consult with producers and directors to create greater visibility for people with disabilities and has produced several small projects focused on persons with disabilities and the LGBTQ community. Andy’s goal is to combine policy and entertainment to create a lasting systemic change. See Andy on IMDB and follow him on Twitter.
Brad Allgood
Director, Cinematographer, Editor
Brad’s acclaimed feature documentary “Landfill Harmonic” garnered over 40 festival wins in 250+ festivals (including SXSW Audience Award and AFI Fest Audience Award), and was acquired by HBO, among other global platforms. The Oscar-qualifying film tells the heartwarming story of a youth orchestra in Paraguay that plays instruments made entirely from garbage. Brad’s other films include “My Village, My Lobster,” winner of the CINE Golden Eagle for Independent Documentary and “Songs from Bosawas,” an adventure music film that documents the first professional recording of indigenous musicians in Nicaragua’s rainforests. He recently edited “Never Too Late: The Doc Severinsen Story” about the Tonight Show bandleader and world-famous trumpeter Doc Severinsen. Brad spent three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua, holds an M.A. in Film and Video Production from American University, and is a native of Georgia. See more about Brad on IMDB.
Steve Dorst
Director, Cinematographer
Steve has worked 15 years as a non-fiction filmmaker, filming in 30+ countries, primarily producing branded content for international organizations that do good. Steve’s feature documentary "Jobs for G.I.s" [2015] documents the struggles vets face when they separate from the military to launch new careers in the civilian world, and was acquired by DirecTV’s The Audience Channel. "Shattered Sky" [2012] tells the story of how America led the world to solve the biggest environmental crisis ever seen (the ozone crisis), contrasting with climate change. It played on PBS, sponsored by Maryland Public Television. Steve’s first film, "Volcanic Sprint," [2007] is the harrowing story of Africa’s most extreme running race, up and down a live volcano in Cameroon. When Covid decimated the documentary business, Steve became increasingly interested in web3, and the result was co-founding Perpetuo Films. Steve holds an MA in Economics and African Studies from Johns Hopkins SAIS, and lived in Cameroon as a young man. Follow Steve on Twitter. Steve at IMDB.
Rudy Izzie
Film Subject, Cinematographer
Rudy Izzie, raised in Madison County, VA, is father to two beautiful twin babies and husband to a beautiful wife—Dani Izzie. Rudy is not only a subject of the film; he also received cinematography credits for Dani’s Twins for his work capturing his and Dani's journey while the film crew was quarantined during Covid. Rudy works in digital sales. He has a passion for banjo picking and trail running, and a penchant for mint chocolate chip ice cream.