Playwright · Filmmaker · Human Rights Attorney
Sophia Romma
Award-winning artist and international human rights advocate whose work bridges theater, documentary film, and the law — sanctifying human integrity through story.
About
A Life Across Disciplines
- BFA & MFA — NYU Tisch School of the Arts
- Ph.D. in Philology — Maxim Gorky Literature Institute
- LL.M. (International Law) — Fordham University School of Law
- Chair — UN Committee, NYC Bar Association
- Chair — Council on International Affairs, Subcommittee on Ukraine
- Artistic Director — Garden of the Avant-Garde
- Founder — Sharp Frame Docs Productions
- Literary Manager — Negro Ensemble Company
- Writing Specialist — Touro University Graduate Center
- Board Member — League of Professional Theatre Women
Professor Sophia Romma, Ph.D., Esq. is a playwright, documentary filmmaker, and international human rights attorney. Born in the former Soviet Union, she immigrated to the United States in 1979 as a child refugee — an experience that would shape her lifelong commitment to displaced communities and the power of storytelling.
Drawing on her multicultural heritage — Russian Jewish, Ukrainian, Romanian, and Romani — she creates work that centers displacement, resilience, and the voices the world needs to hear. Her career spans fourteen off-Broadway productions, award-winning films, and leadership at the intersection of art and global justice.
With an LL.M. specializing in International Human Rights and Racial Justice from Fordham, and a Ph.D. in Philology from the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute, Sophia brings deep scholarly rigor to both her legal advocacy and artistic practice.
A decade-long NYU Alumni Board member, Co-Chair of the International Committee and Oral History Project at Lincoln Center, and Playwright-in-Residence at Moscow's Mayakovsky Academic Art Theatre, she bridges institutions and continents in pursuit of justice through art.
"Art is not escape but evidence — the residue of our moral witnessing." — Sophia Romma
Film & Documentary
Sharp Frame Docs Productions
Docs, sanctifying human integrity, in the age of combat.
Soul Arbitration
When war shatters lives and borders, Soul Arbitration captures the intimate voices of women and children fleeing Ukraine — stories of survival, loss, and resilience against the backdrop of humanity's darkest hour.
Screening: April 28, 2026 — Leitner Center, Fordham Law School
Used and Borrowed Time
Set in 1960s Birmingham, Alabama — an aging actress is transported through surreal sequences to relive her past with a civil rights advocate. Multiple domestic and international festival awards.
When the Fang Becomes the Wound
Examines psychological trauma across Israeli and Palestinian communities — documenting how warfare impacts identity, families, and future generations across divided populations.
From the Archives
Theater
Fourteen Off-Broadway Productions
Reviewed by The New York Times and The Village Voice. Sophia's theatrical work ranges from intimate experimental drama to sweeping historical narratives.
"The stage is my tribunal; the camera, my conscience." — Sophia Romma
Sickle
A visceral exploration of memory and survival under authoritarian regimes.
In the Eyes of Hope
A story of resilience amid displacement, told through layered, poetic dialogue.
Defenses of Prague
Identity and resistance in Central Europe, where history collides with personal freedom.
Cabaret Emigré
Blending music, exile, and cultural memory in an avant-garde theatrical experience.
The Past is Still Ahead
The story of exiled Soviet poetess Marina Tsvetaeva — artistic expression and persecution. Premiered at Montauk Public Library's Women Celebrating Women series.
That Queer Blind Silence
At the 13th Street Repertory Company — a searing satire on power, persecution, and LGBTQ+ rights featuring unforgettable characters.
The Blacklist
Confronting censorship, persecution, and artistic courage under political pressure. Collaboration with curator Heidi Russell for SalonSymphonyX.
Coyote, Take Me There!
A border-crossing narrative exploring migration, hope, and the cost of freedom.
Absolute Clarity
An unflinching look at truth and moral complexity in personal and political life.
Advocacy & Law
Art in Service of Justice
As Chair of the UN Committee of the New York City Bar Association and Chair of the Council on International Affairs Subcommittee on Ukraine, Sophia bridges international law and cultural advocacy. Her legal work focuses on human rights, women's empowerment, and the protection of displaced communities worldwide.
She organizes international conferences on the status of women, leads oral history projects at Lincoln Center, and runs a national division supporting female playwrights through the League of Professional Theatre Women.
A member of the NY State Bar Association, American Bar Association, International Bar Association, PEN America, the Dramatists Guild, and The Players — Sophia operates at the highest levels of both legal and cultural institutions.
"Where language fails to defend the voiceless, art must rise." — Sophia Romma
- April 28, 2026
Soul Arbitration Screening — Fordham Law School
Leitner Center for International Law and Justice. Panel on legal/humanitarian dimensions of Ukraine war atrocities. "Logic of the Eye" — how visual testimony shapes legal accountability.
- March 25, 2026
Annual International Law Conference on the Status of Women
Focus on threats to judicial independence and risks facing women judges worldwide.
- March 16, 2026
Huntington Her Hero Lifetime Achievement Award
Recognized at the NYC Bar Association for decades of service at the intersection of arts and human rights advocacy.
- February 2026
Ensuring Women's Access to Justice
Conference addressing structural barriers to justice for women in international legal systems.
- February 2026
UN Committee Celebrates International Women's Day
Organized by Sophia at the New York City Bar Association.
- October 2025
Shimon Okshteyn: The Artist Estate
Curated exhibition at Black and White Gallery, Southampton — 29 artworks (1984–2000).
- September 2025
Path to Harmony — UN 80th Anniversary Exhibition
"Celebrating Beauty in Harmony, Destiny in Unity" — a cultural contribution to the United Nations anniversary.
Upcoming
Events & Appearances
Screenings, theatrical productions, conferences, and speaking engagements.
Soul Arbitration — Film Screening & Panel
Documentary premiere followed by panel discussion on the legal and humanitarian dimensions of Ukraine war atrocities. Exploring the "Logic of the Eye" — how visual testimony documents wartime crimes and shapes legal accountability.
New Production Season Announcement
Upcoming season of experimental theater — new works and revivals from the avant-garde repertoire.
When the Fang Becomes the Wound — Production Updates
Ongoing production: documentary examining psychological trauma across Israeli and Palestinian communities. Subscribe for release updates.
Subscribe to Updates
Get notified about screenings, premieres, conferences, and new work. Your email is kept private. Unsubscribe anytime.
Updates
Latest from the Studio
New productions, press features, advocacy milestones, and event announcements — curated by Sophia.
Loading updates…
Contact
Inquiries & Collaborations
For press inquiries, speaking engagements, collaboration proposals, or legal consultations, please use the contact form or email directly.
Email: sophia@sharpframedocs.com
Productions: sharpframedocs.com
Literary: transfiction.biz
Arts & Advocacy: gardenoftheavantgarde.com
"The work of the playwright and actor is endlessly entwined in an infinite prism of timeless collaboration." — Sophia Romma