Deva is a multifaceted creative force, excelling in the realms of writing, directing, and cinematography, with a keen focus on comedy, genre, and drama. Her passion for storytelling is deeply rooted in her affinity for misfits, a characteristic she shares with the characters she brings to life. With a unique cultural heritage that spans half Egyptian-Maltese and half UK, Deva was born in New Zealand and has lived in Indonesia, India, Switzerland, and the UK during her childhood.
Throughout her career, Deva's short films have garnered widespread recognition, screening at esteemed festivals such as BAFTA, Academy Award, BIFA, European Film Award, and Canadian Screen Award qualifying events. Her impressive tally of awards and nominations includes six wins and seventeen nominations, with notable prizes including the Silver Plaque at the Chicago International Film Festival in 2003, joint runner-up BBC New Filmmakers award in 2004 for Fishy, Best Trailer Award at the LA Underground Film Forum in 2017, Platinum Award for Best Trailer at the Mindfield Film Festival in Los Angeles, and Best Trailer Award at the Creation International Film Festival in 2017 for Finding Clive Teaser Trailer.
The Grab, her feature-length work, premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2019 and received the Best Concept Film award at the Catfish Short! Short Film Festival in 2020. Deva's professional affiliations include membership in the BAFTA Connect program, alumni status in the BAFTA Crew, and participation in the BFI Guiding Lights Scheme, where she was mentored by the renowned director Gurinder Chadha. She has also been a part of the Berlinale Talent Campus.
Initially trained as an actress at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she received a scholarship, Deva spent a summer honing her filmmaking skills at NYU, courtesy of the William and Eva Fox Fellowship. Her mentor, Prof. Karl Bardosh, has had a lasting impact on her approach to filmmaking, which emphasizes hands-on creativity.
In recent years, Deva has dedicated herself to the production of Blue, a feature film that has been released on Amazon Prime Video in the USA, UK, and Canada. This milestone achievement is a testament to her unwavering dedication and the exceptional team she has worked with over the past three years.
