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BIOGRAPHY

EVA CONTIS

Eva Contis is a director who divides her time between New Orleans and Los Angeles.

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Her creative journey began in acting, studying at Lee Strasberg and the American Conservatory Theater. However, a deep-seated fear of being photographed led her to pivot behind the camera, where she discovered her true passion for storytelling. Though accepted into film school, she opted out, craving adventure over academia.

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Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, Eva traveled extensively through Central and Eastern Europe, later earning a degree in Latin American Studies from UCSC. Inspired by her education, she explored South America and the U.S. before teaching first and second grade in South Los Angeles.

 

Eventually, her love of narrative brought her to film editing, where she could sharpen her storytelling skills. This dedication culminated in editing the Oscar-winning short The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (2012).

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Eva’s directorial debut, The Stand, was launched through the Louisiana Film Prize, where it earned “Top 5” recognition and won the Founder’s Circle Grant. The film screened widely at festivals, achieved Oscar qualification, and secured distribution with Shorts International. It was also featured in a four-page spread in "American Cinematographer", highlighting Valentina Caniglia’s stunning cinematography.

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Her second short, Breasts, solidified Eva’s reputation as a rising filmmaker. Awarded the Panavision New Filmmaker Grant, she raised over $22,000 through Seed & Spark and private donors. The film premiered at the New Orleans Film Festival and later screened at the Austin Film Festival, beginning a worldwide festival run. It played at over 20 festivals, winning awards for Best Short Drama, Best International Short, Best Story, two Social Impact Awards, and a nomination for Best Director.

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Eva’s third short, Stuck in the Middle, reached the Top 20 of the Louisiana Film Prize before finding an audience online, amassing nearly 5,000 views on Vimeo. The film screened globally, from New York and Portugal to Seoul, Korea, earning an Audience Award and securing international distribution through Gonella Productions.

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She is currently ramping up for pre-production on her narrative feature debut, Yes & No, a micro-budget drama about a woman who, during psychedelic therapy, uncovers a repressed memory that propels her on a journey of healing and self-discovery.

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She is also in research and development on a feature documentary, Anywhere But Here, Anyone But Me, which examines mental illness through the lens of generational trauma.

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A registered “pro” on Free the Work, Eva directed her first commercial for the Audubon Society. She is a member of the Alliance of Women Directors and Women in Film, organizations dedicated to advancing equity and visibility for women in the industry. In 2023 she was awarded the Iris Award from her local Women in Film chapter for exceptional achievements in filmmaking

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Some of Eva's Sheroes:

Pippi Longstocking
Princess Leia
Anita Hill
Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Maria Alena Moyano
Oprah Winfrey
The Lowell Mill Girls
Marie Curie
Helen Keller
Bette Greene
Anne Frank
Helen Reddy
Harriet Tubman
Dolly Parton
Ruby Bridges
Margie Belrose
Little Audrey

 

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