Sheila Sofian is an American director, writer, and producer whose work has been featured in film festivals, on television, and in theaters around the world. She is best known for her feature film, Bite Me, which won Best Feature at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.
Sheila grew up in Los Angeles, California and studied screenwriting at the University of Southern California. She began her career in the entertainment industry working as a production assistant on independent films, TV shows, and commercials. After a few years, she went on to produce and direct her own projects.
In 2008, Sheila wrote, produced, and directed her first short film, “The Room,” which won the Best Short Award at the Great Lakes International Film Festival. This success led to her first feature film, Bite Me, which was released in 2019. The film centers around a young girl, Ginger, who is determined to break the cycle of her family’s violence and poverty. Bite Me was a critical success, winning Best Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival and was nominated for several other awards.
In addition to her feature films, Sheila has directed a number of documentaries, including “The Valley of the Wind,” a film about the devastating effects of climate change on the rural communities of Central America. The documentary was an official selection at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. She also directed the television series, “The Wilds,” which follows the lives of young women in the wilderness.
Sheila is also a passionate advocate for women in the film industry. She is a member of the Alliance of Women Directors and the Directors Guild of America. In 2019, she was named one of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film” by Filmmaker Magazine.
Sheila is currently developing her next feature film, “The Place We Call Home,” which is about a family’s struggle to stay together in the face of poverty and addiction. She is also producing a documentary about the life of a transgender woman in the South.
Sheila Sofian is an inspiring filmmaker whose work focuses on telling stories of resilience and hope. Her films have been recognized around the world and she is a powerful example of what is possible for women directors in the entertainment industry.
