Lisa Leeman

Lisa Leeman believes that documentaries can change the world, one story at a time. Her films illuminate contemporary social issues through intimate character-driven stories that follow people at critical turning points. She is currently directing a follow-up to her groundbreaking first film, Metamorphosis (Sundance, Filmmakers Trophy; POV, 1990). Roger Ebert named Leeman’s One Lucky Elephant one of the best documentaries of 2011. Other credits include Awake; Crazy Wisdom; Out of Faith; and Who Needs Sleep (with Haskell Wexler). Lisa’s work has been supported by Sundance, Catapult, the Producers Guild, AFI, NEA, and the California Humanities Council. She co-chairs the Ethics Subcommittee of the Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA) and teaches Cinematic Ethics at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. A tenured professor and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, she leads workshops for the U.S. State Department’s American Film Showcase and Global Media Makers.