Anya: A Video Highlight

November 1, 2019

Applied cultural anthropologist, Carylanna Taylor, is releasing her first fiction film on November 26 to video-on-demand, DVD, and hosted screenings. ANYA is a contemporary sci-fi love story about newlyweds whose seemingly simple decision to have a baby catapults them to the center of an explosive genetics mystery with far-reaching consequences for their child and the future of humanity. 

During the development and production of ANYA, Taylor and Jacob Okada, her partner in First Encounter Productions, worked closely with geneticists at Harvard Medical School and Carnegie Mellon to accurately portray genetics scientists, technologies, research, and ethics. Taylor drew on her research and teaching experience to depict fieldwork, an enclave immigrant community living in Queens, and a new (fictional) species of humans with their own culture. Fellow University of South Florida applied anthropology graduate, José Enrique Moreno-Cortés helped develop the "Narval" language. 

Forbes.com praised ANYA's attention to diversity and scientific detail, saying “[t]he end result is a film with a diverse cast, realistic science, and a compelling story.” 

Look for ANYA on iTunes and Amazon. Learn more at anyamovie.com.