Who We Are

Reflex 72 is an ongoing film screening series dedicated to showcasing work shot on analog formats like 16mm, Super 8, 35mm, and tape. Founded by filmmakers Alissa Xhixhabesi and Evelyn Grace Pereira, Reflex 72 was created as a space to celebrate the craft of analog filmmaking while building a community of up and coming artists who keep the medium alive.

Each screening revolves around a loose theme, bringing together personal, experimental, and narrative works that explore the many ways film can tell a story. Held bi-monthly at venues across NYC, Reflex 72 is a screening, a community, and a gathering spot for filmmakers and film lovers.

At its core, Reflex 72 is about connection and keeping film in motion. A space for unique work that fully embraces the magic of celluloid.

Alissa Xhixhabesi

Founder and Curator

Alissa Xhixhabesi is an Albanian-American filmmaker based in New York who works primarily with analog formats, including 16mm, Super 8, and MiniDV. She is a recent graduate of the Media Studies program at The New School, where she focused on camera operation, documentary storytelling and analog media archiving. As co-founder of Reflex 72 she is committed to preserving the art of analog filmmaking and amplifying the voices of the next generation of filmmakers.

Evelyn Grace Pereira

Founder

Evelyn Grace Pereira is a Portugueses- American filmmaker living in New York City with a passion for analog filmmaking. She graduated from The New School for Screen Studies and Screenwriting. In addition to writing and directing, she is a co-founder of the analog-based screening titled REFLEX 72. Evelyn believes indie filmmaking will save us all, and it is important to support each other.

Dylan Oulman

Administrative Assistant

Dylan Oulman is a filmmaker based in New York with a passion for stories, writing, and producing. His background as a French-American raised in Portugal gives him a global perspective and the ability to navigate multilingual and multinational environments. He works as REFLEX 72’s Administrative Assistant, where he helps organize events, review submissions, and scout talent. He sees film as a space where different art forms come together, creating opportunities to gain new perspectives and connect with others.

Ava Baldassari

Social Media Intern

Ava Baldassari is a multi-disciplinary creator driven by the contagious energy of New York’s art, music, and culture scenes, with a unique perspective that marries experience both behind the lens and in front of the camera. In her work, she seamlessly blends artistic vision and editorial insight with logistical precision and strong leadership. She thrives at the intersection of documentation and community - whether capturing the raw power of live music, profiling the discipline of dancers, or co-founding BRUTAL Zine, a platform dedicated to celebrating emerging designers, filmmakers, and musicians. 

Ava graduated from the Chicago Academy for the Arts (Musical Theater) in 2023, one of the top-performing arts high schools in the country, and is currently attending The New School, majoring in Screen Studies and double minoring in Contemporary Dance Practices and Journalism & Design. 

Melody Sabnani

Event Planning Intern

Melody Sabnani is a film student from Hong Kong at the New School. Her creative fixations are horror and erotica shorts, especially where they overlap. Her favorite films are The Doom Generation and Lost in Translation. She currently works with Reflex 72 to further explore her interests in analog filmmaking - especially 35mm as a medium.

Schuyler Mainier

Event Planning Intern

My name is Schuyler (she/her), and I am a current Junior at The New School in Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, majoring in screen studies and minoring in contemporary dance. I have a vibrant background in the arts, formally trained in ballet and dance since childhood, and have grown my movement background within the Lang Dance Program. I have always had a love for all forms of visual art, especially film and television, and am so grateful to be working with Reflex 72 as an Event Planning Intern. I am most interested in the cinematography, camera-work, and creative directing side of film, but have recently developed an interest in writing during my 4-week filmmaking study abroad program this past summer in Cannes, France. I love being involved in any opportunities I can in the field, whether it be helping on a friends set, or going through film submissions in Reflex, and am looking forward to completing my thesis film next year. My primary passion is exploring the intersection of my artistic interests, including film, dance, music, and fashion, to lead to a multifaceted creative portfolio. Also, att the end of this semester, I will be performing in Donna Uchizono’s, “State of Heads”, premiering this May at New York Live Arts!