Winnipeg born, Los Angeles bred, Esther Zeilig is an emerging writer/director living and working in L.A. She received her BA from UCLA in Film and Television with a concentration in cinematography, and earned her MFA from the prestigious Film Directing Program at California Institute of the Arts. There, she was mentored by filmmaker Josephine Decker, who instilled in her a strong sense of collaborative rehearsal processes and bold, unconventional story structure.

Her CalArts thesis film, What We Don't Say, premiered at the REDCAT Center for Contemporary Arts in Los Angeles and was featured on Film Shortage's Daily Short Picks. She co-wrote Forever & Ever, a short horror film directed by frequent collaborator Xavier Hamel, which had its world premiere in 2021 at the renowned Fantasia International Film Festival in Montréal. 

EDUCATION

California Institute of the Arts- MFA,
​Film Directing (2019)
UCLA - BA, Film & Television (2012)

EXPERIENCE / SKILLS

​Directing
Writing
Acting
Photography & Photo Editing

• Proficient with both digital and film workflows, including, but not limited to: Photoshop, black & white printing, and alternative printing techniques

Cinematography

• Experience using a diversity of equipment, including, but not limited to: RED cameras, Arri Alexa cameras, Arri film cameras, digital camcorders and DSLRs, digital and film lenses/camera support, grip and lighting equipment

Video Editing 

• Proficient in Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut 7 & X
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She's also a damn good AD