BIO 

Donna Bonilla Wheeler is a screenwriter, director, and playwright. Her Academy Nicholl Fellowship finalist screenplay, The Girl Next Door, was initially optioned by the head of Madonna's production company before igniting a Cannes bidding war, with producer Forrest Murray and Angelina Jolie attached. Her feature directorial debut, Death of a Saleswoman, secured domestic and international distribution through AFM, Cannes, and Berlinale markets. Her adventure-crime series Clash was selected as one of only 12 projects worldwide for MIPTV/Cannes In Development. Donna's body of work has been selected for further development through programs including New York Stage & Film, Gotham, Stowe Story Labs, Sundance workshops, and Slamdance Labs. She has held creative and post production leadership roles on projects for Disney, A&E, The History Channel, and PBS. Her stories explore identity, resilience, and belonging through underdog protagonists possessing unusual or heroic skills, humanity, or insights.

 

 

 

ARTISTIC APPROACH

My storytelling journey started writing and directing in the theatre. I was a Property Master, Stage Manger, Booth, Music, & Lighting Tech, Playwright, and Director. I expanded to writing and directing commercials and advertising for major global brands (Westfield Malls, Proactiv, J&J/Neutrogena, Kylie Cosmetics). My early film and TV narrative work has been in dramedy and humor. Current work includes dramas and musicals. Recent works include crime dramas with adventure and supernatural/fantasy. I'm an actor’s director, trained as a casting directing out of college, and a recent alum of Alliance of Women Director's Directing the Actor Labs. I continue to write and direct stage plays in Los Angeles with Los Angeles Female Playwrights Initiative (LAFPI).