Sophie Mutiara Nova/Whittemore is a Chicago suburbs raised, LA-based writer/director/producer of AAPI+queer punk fantasy books and films.”

“A queer/nonbinary, half-Indonesian SLE-diagnosed Writer-Director. Their work centers around their culture, queerness, & punk rock fairy tales.”

They’re the 2024 TV Writing Fellow at ACEX (Art of Cinematic Excellence Foundation). Sophie’s TV series writing’s been awarded quarterfinalist at the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, WeScreenplay TV Pilot Lab– and Semifinalist at Stowe Story Labs, Vail Film Festival, & Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Awards Season 8. They’ve screened at Palm Springs’ Cinema Diverse, New York City’s Rainbow Cinema Awards, and VTIFF. Their film “Don’t Tell Mother,” about Asian mother-daughter relationships, was awarded top prize at the Los Angeles Asian Film Awards.

Sophie’s published work has included the Queer Indie Book Award – nominated QTPOC-fantasy book series The Gamin Immortals, which earned them an invitation to the Golden Crown Literary Society (known for honoring legends like Allison Bechdel).

Originally from Chicago, Sophie is now based in Los Angeles and after receiving their MFA in Film Directing from CalArts. They hold a BFA in Film/Digital Arts from Dartmouth College. In their spare time, they perform Indonesian traditional dance with international icons Bu Nanik/Pak Wenten of dance troupe Burat Wangi.They grew up in Chicago and live a life of thoroughly unexpected adventures and a dash of mayhem: whether that’s making video games or short films, scripting for a webcomic, or writing about all the punk-rock antiheroes we should give another chance (and subsequently blogging about them).

Sophie’s been featured as a Standout in the Daily Herald and makes animated-live action films on the side. Their prior works include “A Clock’s Work” in a Handersen Publishing magazine, “Blind Man’s Bluff” in Parallel Ink, a Staff Writer for AsAm News (covering the comic book convention was a dream), and numerous articles as an HXCampus Dartmouth Correspondent. Ultimately, Sophie lives life with these ideas: 1) live your truth unapologetically and 2) don’t make bets with supernatural creatures.