ABOUT MATTIE
Madeline Johnson is an award winning writer, director, and producer with over ten years of experience crafting visual stories, managing projects, and leading teams. As a Sundance New Voices finalist, a Second Rounder for the Sundance Development Track, and a Second Rounder for the Macro Episodic Lab powered by the Black List, Madeline makes art to empower untold stories.
As the director for Devolving a feature film in development, Madeline has been selected to participate in the Constellation Incubator.
The most recent short film Madeline wrote – Sherman – was an official selection of the Pan African Film Festival.
Her second short film Beyond Our Mountains won the Grand Jury Award at the Nevada International Film Festival, Best Foreign Short at the Twister Alley Film Festival and Best World Director at the Austin Revolution! Film Festival, where it was also nominated for the Lukas Hassel Writer/Director of the Year Award, Best Cinematography Short, World Short, World Actress, and World Actor.
It also won Honorable Mention for the NYWIFT Online Shorts Film Festival and was an official selection of the Edmonton International Film Festival, Portland Film Festival, Gig Harbor Film Festival, Crown Heights Film Festival, among several others.
Her debut short film Juneteenth won the Platinum Reel Award at the Nevada International Film Festival in the student competition and was an official selection of the Prague Independent Film Festival, the Budapest Short Film Festival, and the Crown Heights Film Festival. “Juneteenth” is also featured on Vimeo’s #BlackLivesMatter playlist.
At Yale University, she earned B.A.s in Religious Studies and Ethnicity, Race, and Migration. In the Czech Republic, she graduated in 2016 from the Academic Preparation Program in Directing at FAMU International.
Drawing upon her experience in the criminal justice and religious fields, Madeline’s work ventures deep into a spiritual realm. She makes art to honor and empower us to live our most authentic selves, to make the world more livable for all of us, and to move the needle so we can understand, dream, and live in a new way.
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
What I love most about being a writer/director is nurturing and empowering the cast and crew to transcend the artistic boundaries of film and create a great story.
Creating film is vital because video has become our personal and cultural meditations. They are our looking glass through which we can gain the understanding and energy for social action. With changes in technology and the industry, I push the artistic boundaries of film to create new connections and transform viewers into active agents.
Drawing upon my experience in the criminal justice and religious fields, my films venture deep into a spiritual realm. My activism is helping others tap into our dreams and legacies to journey toward who we really want to be as people.
Ultimately, I make art to honor and empower us to live our most authentic selves, to make the world more livable for all of us, and to move the needle so we can understand, dream, and live in a new way.
EDUCATION
New Haven, CT
2006-2010
Bachelor of Arts, Double Major in Religious Studies and Ethnicity, Race and Migration with honors
Prague, Czech Republic
2016-2017
Certificate for Academy Preparation Program, Directing