PRODUCED AND DIRECTED feature FILMS

 In a life that has spanned almost a century of creative years, ruth weiss, the beat goddess is about one of the most influential writers of the Beat Generation. Born to a Jewish family during the rise of Nazism, as a 10-year-old refugee, she escaped to the United States. ruth became a Jazz troubadour exemplifying the zeitgeist of Chicago, New Orleans, and San Francisco. ​Currently airing on PBS and won an Emmy® for Best Cultural/Historical Documentary at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Northern California / San Francisco Regional Chapter.

Festivals, Awards, and Honors (selected)

  • Emmy Award for Best Cultural/Historical Documentary by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Northern California / San Francisco Chapter, 2023

  • Cinequest Film Festival (California), Maverick Spirit Award Winner, 2020

  • Riverside International Film Festival (California) - Winner of Best Documentary, 2020

  • Santa Cruz Film Festival (California) - Winner of Visionary Women In Film Award, 2019

  • Peekskill Film Festival (New York) - Winner of Best Documentary, 2019

  • Asolo Art Film Festival (Italy) - Nominated for Best Film on Art, 2019

  • American Documentary Film Festival (California) - Nom. for Best Documentary, 2021

  • FIN Atlantic International Film Festival (Canada) - Nom. for Best Documentary, 2021

  • Chicago Underground Film Festival (Illinois)  - Nominated for Best Documentary, 2020 

  • Romford Film Festival (England) - Nominated for Best Documentary, 2020 

Impact and Reach

  • Co-founded a non-profit called the ruth weiss Foundation that creates opportunities to support poetic artists through an annual grant program and encourage poets in their quest to change the world for the better. www.ruthweissfoundation.org

  • Currently working with the United Nations Association - USA to raise awareness of the impacts of war on children and discuss solutions through art, poetry, and film.

  • Screened on over 150 PBS Stations across the nation reaching millions, and available on Apple TV, Amazon, Hoopla, Kinema, and Alexander Street.

​California's Forgotten Children is an award-winning feature documentary that follows a diverse group of resilient survivors who have overcome commercial sexual exploitation of children and are changing the world by ensuring no child is forgotten. Currently airing on PBS.

Festivals, Awards, and Honors (selected)

  • Public Media Awards, NETA (Nationwide), Best Topical Documentary, 2022

  • Soho International Film Festival (New York)- Winner Best Documentary, 2018

  • Riverside International Film Festival - Winner of Rising Filmmaker Award, 2018

  • Chico International Film Festival (California), Winner of Best Director, 2019 

  • The California Film Awards, Winner the Orson Welles Award, 2019

  • Angeles Documentary (California), Winner Best Documentary, 2018

  • ​San Diego International Film Festival (California), Official Selection 

  • Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival, Nom. for Best Documentary, 2018

  • Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival (Nepal), 2018

  • Montana International Film Festival, 2019

  • Oakland International Film Festival, Nominated for Best Feature Documentary, 2018

  • Newport Beach International Film Festival, Nominated for Best Documentary, 2018

  • ​Chagrin Documentary Film Festival​ (Ohio), 2019

  • Long Beach Indie International Film Festival, Nom. for Dolores Huerta Award, 2019

Impact and Reach

  • Invited by Vice-President Kamala Harris, the film screened on Capitol Hill at the United States Senate in 2019, encouraging policymakers to create and implement laws and policies to combat trafficking.  

  • Screened at the United States of Women Summit, same event as guest speaker former First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at in 2018. 

  • Screened at the United Nations Association - USA on preventing education with the documentary in high schools, 2023. 

  • Screened with 100+ organizations from the government, foster care systems, juvenile detention facilities, crisis centers, tech companies, and healthcare organizations to prevent these injustices from continuing. 

  • Launched #iWontForget Prevention Education Campaign in high schools. The film helped educate over 2,000 students and growing. Crisis Centers and police recovered several victims after classroom screenings with a trauma informed crisis team. 

  • The documentary helped fundraise for safe-homes, crisis centers, and direct services for victims of commercial sexual exploitation, sexual assault, homelessness, and HIV/AIDS.

  • Created an Ambassador program to create jobs for survivor leaders.

  • Screened 45 times on PBS Stations, reaching millions across the nation, available on Apple TV, Amazon, Hoopla, Kinema, and New Day Films.