I'm a film director and storyteller. I specialise in crafting compelling commercials, branded content, and documentaries that resonate with audiences through authentic human experiences. With each project, I strive to bring a unique perspective that highlights the beauty of our shared stories, seamlessly blending creativity with purpose.
Director's Bio
Jessie is a SAFTA nominated, award winning director from Cape Town. Her work ranges from commercials to independent documentaries.
Her experience with performance in the theatre world has informed her ability to work across different genres and mediums. Thematically, her work often stems from ideas surrounding girlhood, and coming of age stories.
Her films have screened at multiple international film festivals including Doc NYC, AFI Docs, MoMA Doc Fortnight and Visions Du Reel, and have received Vimeo Staff Picks. In 2017 she was named a "Marie Claire Future Shaper" for Marie Claire Magazine and in 2018 she was named a Mail & Guardian's "200 Young South African".
Her latest film, "Drummies", was acquired by the New Yorker.
Her documentary projects have been in the official selection for the IDFA Academy (2018), the Durban Film Mart (2017) and the Visions Du Reel Pitching Forum (2017). In 2018, she was selected amongst 19 other African filmmakers as a Berlinale Talent at the Durban International Film Festival. She is currently in production on her first feature documentary ('The Home') that is being funded by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and co-produced by Picturescope Films.
Commercially, some of the clients that she has worked with include Ciel Properties, Belmond, Sonnenglas & Ngwenya Glass.
She has a B.A (hons) from the University of Cape Town, and an MFA in Documentary Film from Stanford University.
AWARDS
Vimeo Staff Pick, Wavelengths (2022)
Vimeo Staff Pick, The Gallery That Destroys All Shame (2022) Best of the Year
New Yorker Documentary Series, Drummies (2022)
SFFILM, Jury Prize, Wavelengths (2021)
IDFA Academy (2018)
