Signe Taylor is an American documentary filmmaker and media educator based in Norwich, Vermont.[1] Her work has received recognition at film festivals including the Chicago International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival and various others.[2]
Signe Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Barnard College (BA, 1987) Stanford University (MA, Communication) |
| Occupation(s) | Documentary filmmaker, media educator |
| Years active | 1992-present |
| Known for | Greetings from Iraq, Circus Dreams, It's Criminal |
| Awards | Seattle International Film Festival Youth Jury Award Boston International Film Festival Indie Spec Special Recognition Award |
Early life
editTaylor graduated from Barnard College at Columbia University in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[3] She subsequently earned a Master of Arts in Communication from Stanford University's Documentary Film Program.[4] Her Master's project was Greetings From Iraq, which explored the effects of Operation Desert Storm and the international embargo on Iraqi families.[5]
Career
editTaylor began her career in media education, collaborating with teenagers on videos addressing social issues such as conflict resolution and substance abuse. She worked as a media educator in Somerville, Massachusetts, produced segments for the PBS children's program ZOOM and directed coverage of political candidates for C-SPAN.[6]
Taylor's directorial debut, Greetings from Iraq (1993), was a 28-minute documentary examining the humanitarian impact of Operation Desert Storm and the international embargo on Iraqi families.[7] Completed while she was a graduate student at Stanford, the film screened at film festivals around the country and aired on public television in 1993.[8]
Taylor's first feature-length documentary, Circus Dreams (2011), followed performers aged 12 to 18 at Circus Smirkus, the only traveling youth circus in the United States, documenting their summer in 2006 during a financial crisis for the organization.[9] The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was broadcast on PBS in 2012. It received recognition at festivals including the Seattle International Film Festival and Boston International Film Festival.[6]
It's Criminal (2017) documented a collaborative project between incarcerated women at Sullivan County Department of Corrections in New Hampshire and Dartmouth College students creating an original theatrical work.[10] The production process spanned several years, with filming completed in 2010 and post-production extending until 2017 due to funding constraints.[11] The documentary premiered at the Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival in 2017 and was broadcast on FUSE television in 2018.[12]
Taylor currently serves as Senior Producer at Dartmouth College, where she creates content featuring faculty, staff, and students. Her collaboration with author Kimberly Juanita Brown on "Slavery's Afterlife" received a CASE Award in 2022.[13]
Selected awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Festival/Organization | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Youth Jury Award | Seattle International Film Festival | Circus Dreams | Won[14] |
| 2011 | Indie Spec Special Recognition Award | Boston International Film Festival | Circus Dreams | Won[15] |
| 2017 | Award of Merit Special Mention | Impact DOC Awards | It's Criminal | Won[16] |
| 2017 | Best Documentary | Vermont PBS | It's Criminal | Won[17] |
| 2018 | Best International Documentary | Monterrey International Film Festival | It's Criminal | Won |
| 2022 | Best of District Case I Award | Council for Advancement and Support of Education | "Short Talks on Big Ideas: Slavery's Afterlife" | Won[18] |
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role(s) | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Greetings from Iraq | Director | 28-minute documentary | Master's project at Stanford; broadcast on PBS in 1993 |
| 2011 | Circus Dreams | Director, Producer | Feature documentary | Premiered at Toronto International Film Festival; broadcast on PBS in 2012 |
| 2017 | It's Criminal | Director, Producer | Feature documentary | Premiered at Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival; broadcast on FUSE in 2018 |
References
edit- ^ Sananes, Rebecca (2017-06-05). "New Documentary Goes Behind The Scenes Of Dartmouth Students And N.H. Inmates' Performance Showcase". Vermont Public. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Stranger Staff (2011-05-18). "SIFF 2011: The Reviews Every Damn Review We Wrote, All on One Really Long Page". The Stranger. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Blanding, Michael (2018). "A Bright Legacy Barnard filmmakers bring stories to light". Barnard College. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Potter, Jon (2011-11-03). "Filmmaker captures joy of Circus Smirkus". Brattleboro Reformer. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Coleman, Sandy (1994-02-27). "'Greetings from Iraq': A look at the consequences of war". The Boston Globe. ProQuest 2968880099. Retrieved 2025-08-14 – via proquest.com.
- ^ a b The Republican Entertainment Desk (2011-05-14). "Circus Smirkus documentary to be shown at Boston International Film Festival". masslive.com. The Republican. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Matchan, Linda (1994-05-10). "A harrowing look inside Iraq". The Boston Globe. ProQuest 294857195. Retrieved 2025-08-14 – via proquest.com.
- ^ Karkabi, Barbara (1993-03-03). "Aftermath of a war - Documentary of children in Iraq paints heart- rending picture". newsbank.com. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2025-08-14 – via newsbank.com NewsBank.
- ^ King, Loren (2011-10-21). "From premieres to a night of fright". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Castillo, Monica (2018-06-09). "'It's Criminal' brings students and inmates together for conversation and performance". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Albright, Charlotte (2018-02-19). "Students Work With Female Inmates to Make 'It's Criminal'". Dartmouth College. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Becker, Deborah; Mitchell, Zoe (2018-03-05). "Documentary Film 'It's Criminal' Brings Together Incarcerated Women And Dartmouth Students". WBUR. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Demidenko, Eugene (2022-11-29). "Kudos: Jerome Powell Praises Fed Challenge Teams". Dartmouth College. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Bell, Mark (2011-06-13). "2011 SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL HANDS OUT JURY AND AUDIENCE AWARDS". Film Threat. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ "Boston International Film Festival Announces 2011 Winners". Boston International Film Festival. 2011-04-24. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ "Awards of Merit 2017". Impact Docs Awards. 2017-07-26. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ "VTIFF Made Here Film Festival – For Filmmakers - VTIFF". 2015-06-06. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
- ^ Council for Advancement and Support of Education (2022). "Short Talks on Big Ideas: Slavery's Afterlife". Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
External links
edit- Signe Taylor at IMDb