BIO 

Donna Bonilla Wheeler is a writer and director of film and stage, known for her family mockumentary, Death of a Saleswoman (Best Indie feature, KC FilmFest Int'l; Best Experimental Feature, Portoviejo Film Fest; Best Female Filmmaker, Virgin Spring Cinefest; Best Family Film, Canada Int'l). And her short film, The Girl Next Door (Grand Jury Award, Mystic Film Fest; Special Jury Award, Silent River Film Fest; REMI Award, Worldfest-Houston; Best Short, Indie Gathering Int'l Film Fest). Her works focus on female characters with heroic or unusual gifts, humanity, or insights and examine themes of identity and belonging.
Prior to earning her MFA in film directing at FSU Film Conservatory, Donna worked in advertising and commercials as a copywriter for national brands. She has continued creative work for clients including Kylie Cosmetics, Proactiv, IT Cosmetics, WEN Haircare, Westfield Malls, WarnerMusicGroup, J&J, Neutrogena and Meaningful Beauty.
Donna is a multi-invited artist in NYSAF's Filmmaker Workshop (CLASH), Stowe Story and Sidewalk Narrative Labs (Natalia Rising, CLASH), Gotham No Borders Market (The Girl Next Door, Death of a Saleswoman), and Cannes/MIPTV Series in Development (CLASH). And scholarship recipient in PageCraft Workshops, FS2P Labs, Sundance Collab Workshops, Slamdance Labs, and Reel Sisters/BRIC Workshops. She founded and leads the #MentorLatinaDirectors Fellowship program and helped found the Broad Humor Film Festival.  

ARTISTIC APPROACH

My evolution in professional storytelling started with work in commercials and advertising for major brands (Westfield Malls, Proactiv, J&J/Neutrogena, Kylie Cosmetics) where I bring together creative stories for my clients and stakeholders, adhering to theirbudget parameters and schedules. My initial narrative work reflects dry humor with absurdist touches, and I examine cultural and gender issues. Recent works delve into action/adventure stories of social unrest, immigration, colorism, identity and belonging. I'm an actor’s director, trained in most performance disciplines and styles. I fluidly translate my years of stage and theatre experience into my film and TV projects.