Afton Quast Saler is a documentary and narrative fiction filmmaker, writer, and performer, who is committed to disability and mental health advocacy through the arts. Afton began her professional career in the arts at 13 years old, getting paid to play pretend in musicals and plays around the world and regional theaters across the country. When she realized that being a writer and director meant she got to play ALL the parts, she attended USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, channeling her love of storytelling into filmmaking and writing. Afton’s writing has since placed in screenwriting competitions such as Austin Film Festival, Hollyshorts Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, and received the HFPA Center for Cinema & Television award for Best Short Script. Most recently Afton has gained recognition for directing and writing her short USC thesis documentary, Neurodivergent, a personal mixed-media experience about women with ADHD. The film has played over 30 film festivals worldwide, received the Jury Prize at the DGA Student Film Awards, and was broadcast on KCET’s Fine Cut Festival of Films, for which it won Best Documentary. Currently, she lives and freelances in Pasadena, CA, with her husband Jesse, their dog Johanna, and the wild parrots that live in the tree outside their window.