Nori Takei is a screenwriter and director of both narrative and documentary film. Originally from Atlanta, GA, she graduated with a BS in Film from Boston University and now resides in Los Angeles, CA.

Her narrative feature debut Gold Stars is now in post-production. An urban high school drama inspired by her real-life experience teaching at-risk teens, Gold Stars was a finalist for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab and will be hitting the festival circuit later this year.

Takei’s next project is the documentary American Golfer, about her quest to strengthen her relationship with her father through golf, while highlighting not only the challenges, but the beauty and spirituality of the game and its popularity throughout the world. Weaving in interviews with well-known golfers and experts along the way, American Golfer is a heartwarming and humorous personal tale of a parent and child struggling to bond later in life, and what can happen when a newbie golfer confronts that terrifying little white ball.

Other recent writing and directing work includes the narrative short Madame Tanya, a fairy tale about a non-believer investigating a psychic, awarded sponsorship by Film Independent’s Project:Involve. Takei directed and shot the documentary Toxic City: This is Where I Live about Latino teenagers standing up for environmental justice, televised on NBC/Universal’s Mun2. Toxic City was nominated for the 2008 Imagen Award for Best Documentary for Television and was an Alma Award finalist.

Takei has supported and worked with non-profits such as The Southern Center for Human Rights, Women’s Resource Center, Hollywood Rock Academy Foundation and Step-Up Women’s Network youth mentoring program.