Caught in the Mix is a Los Angeles–based production company led by CEO and co-founder Kira Powell, an award-winning writer-director whose work explores themes of identity, belonging, and the unseen emotional labor of womanhood. The company is committed to telling character-driven stories rooted in underrepresented perspectives, with a particular focus on Latinx, Afro-Latinx, and Black narratives — especially those that explore the intersections of culture, race, and gender.
Founded while Powell was earning her MFA in Directing at the American Film Institute, Caught in the Mix launched with the psychological horror short The Good Mother, which premiered at Screamfest. The company’s second project, Best Eyes, originated as Powell’s AFI thesis film, where it was produced through AFI’s Conservatory program. It now serves as a foundational project for Caught in the Mix.
Best Eyes premiered at LALIFF and won the DGA Student Jury Award. Both shorts are currently in development as feature films.
With an emphasis on emotionally grounded storytelling across drama and psychological horror, Caught in the Mix champions bold, intimate films that center the inner lives of women and girls of color. Under Powell’s leadership, the company continues to develop a slate of socially conscious, visually striking work that challenges convention and reflects the complexity of lived experience.
Zach Riley is a Los Angeles–based producer and co-founder of Caught in the Mix, an independent production company he runs with his wife, writer-director and CEO Kira Powell. Together, they produce emotionally grounded, socially resonant films that explore identity, belonging, and the inner lives of women of color.
Riley executive produced Best Eyes, written and directed by Kira Powell, (LALIFF, DGA Student Film Jury Award), and co-produced the The Good Mother (Screamfest Horror Film Festival), both currently in development as feature films.
With a background in Sociology and Cultural Anthropology, and early work at the Center of Concern, a women’s social justice organization in Washington, D.C., Riley brings a sharp social lens to producing. The son of a civil rights attorney, he is committed to supporting underrepresented voices and building equitable creative partnerships. His producing experience spans development, independent financing, physical production, and festival strategy.
Through Caught in the Mix, Riley is developing a slate of features written and directed by Powell. His work is defined by a commitment to collaboration, detail-driven execution, and resourceful problem solving. Drawing on experience raising over $500K in private capital for real estate ventures, he now brings those fundraising and deal-making skills to independent film, helping turn bold creative visions into viable, fully realized productions.