Angelica Sarkisyan is a Los Angeles-based, award-winning filmmaker.. With degrees in Cultural Anthropology, Film, and Art from UCLA, Angelica brings a unique blend of academic rigor, artistic vision, and deep human connection to every project she undertakes. Her career is a testament to the power of storytelling to protect and amplify voices that would otherwise be lost to time. For over a decade, Angelica has dedicated herself to the monumental task of documenting the oral traditions of Native American tribes across the American Southwest. Her contributions through The Bridge Project have preserved sacred rituals, Shamanic songs, and prayers from 29 tribes, including the Tataviam, Los Angeles’s original inhabitants. Her efforts have safeguarded the last remnants of these tribes’ oral histories, ensuring that future generations can access their cultural and spiritual legacies. Angelica’s work with Native American communities has been heralded as both a cultural milestone and an urgent act of preservation, blending artistic sensitivity with anthropological precision. This commitment to documenting and celebrating diverse cultural narratives defines Angelica’s career. Her critically acclaimed documentary Cahuenga, Place of the Hill delves into the resilience of the Tataviam tribe, capturing their struggle for survival amidst urbanization. The film won Best Film and Best Original Score at Christopher Coppola’s Project Access Hollywood (PAH) Film Festival, further solidifying her reputation as a filmmaker with both heart and vision. Angelica’s expertise extends far beyond the realm of Indigenous storytelling. Mentored by luminaries such as Leonard Cohen and Alejandro Jodorowsky, she has explored the intersection of mysticism and cinema, crafting films that transcend mere documentation to become transformative experiences. Under Jodorowsky’s guidance in Paris, Angelica deepened her understanding of filmmaking as a spiritual practice. A decade-long partnership with Zen Buddhist master Joshu Sasaki Roshi infused her work with a meditative depth, enabling her to approach complex cultural narratives with reverence and grace. Her technical achievements are equally impressive. Angelica’s photographic work was named “Best of LA Photography 2007,” with features in Photography Forum and Magnum Magazine. Her experimental film The Dreams of the Hydra won the LA Flicker’s “Attack of the Fifty Foot Reels” at the Egyptian Theater and toured across North America. These accolades showcase her ability to craft visually stunning, emotionally resonant works across multiple mediums.