Biografia
Jilann Spitzmiller is a director, writer, and producer of both fiction and nonfiction films, boasting over 20 awards for her feature documentary work. Recently, she was accepted into Sundance Co//ab's television writing track with a dramedy series and subsequently invited to collaborate one-on-one with a renowned EP/showrunner to refine the pilot script. As Head of Nonfiction at Meow Wolf, she created the feature Meow Wolf: Origin Story, which maintained a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for more than six months. The film premiered to great acclaim at SXSW and was released in over 600 theaters. Jilann also directed two fiction shorts for Meow Wolf's latest exhibit in Las Vegas, contributing to the immersive storyworld content within the exhibition. Her documentary work has received multiple grants and support from ITVS, The Sundance Institute, and various other foundations. Among her additional credits is the cult favorite Shakespeare Behind Bars, which premiered in competition at Sundance Film Festival and was funded by Sundance Institute, BBC Storyville, and ITVS. The film won 11 awards and aired on Sundance Channel, Starz/Encore, PBS, and internationally. Jilann also directed the award-winning features Still Dreaming and Homeland, both broadcast nationally on PBS. Homeland was selected for ITVS' True Stories series, which toured globally to showcase authentic American narratives. Her work has appeared on NBC, BBC, POV, Al Jazeera, CBC, Canal+, VH1, Discovery, and numerous other networks worldwide. She has directed and written episodic documentaries for Discovery and NBC, as well as directed and shot episodic content for Bravo and A&E. Jilann has also mentored at several labs and festivals, including the Latino Producers Academy, AFI Docs, Berkeley Advanced Media Institute, and Oregon Doc Camp.
