Dalila Droege received her MFA in Film Writing and Directing at Columbia College Chicago. She recently completed her thesis film, Voice Lessons, about a young Muslim Indian woman studying classical music in the US. Her short documentaries, On the Floor and Carousel won awards and were screened at the Shorts Corner of the 2007 Cannes International Film Festival. She wrote and directed The Girls of Alden, a narrative film that won numerous awards at festivals for directing, performance and cinematography. Droege began her career as a solo classical pianist after receiving her Bachelor’s of Music in piano performance at age 19. In addition to working professionally as a director, Droege has worked extensively as a sound designer for film and a teacher of undergraduate film production. A 2011 Project:Involve Fellow, Droege is developing film projects that offer a unique perspective on life in America, stories that feature strong female characters and reflect the experience of people not often seen on screen.