Cynthia Wade

Cynthia Wade is an Oscar®-and Emmy-winning documentary director who also directs commercials and fiction films. Her Netflix docuseries “MerPeople,” about the dangerous, beautiful world of underwater performers, is rated 100% "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes. Cynthia’s television documentaries include “The Flagmakers” (Disney+, Emmy Winner, Critics Choice Nominee, Oscar shortlist), “Grit” (PBS, Emmy Nominee), “Mondays at Racine” (HBO, Oscar nominee), “Freeheld” (HBO, Oscar winner, Sundance winner), “Born Sweet” (Sundance winner, Oscar shortlist), “Shelter Dogs” (HBO), “Grist for the Mill” (Cinemax), “Growing Hope Against Hunger” (PBS, Emmy Winner), “Generation Startup” (Netflix), “Living the Legacy” (Sundance Channel). Her fiction short “Sproutland” won 15 awards. She directed three episodes of Apple TV+’s docuseries “Gutsy,” featuring Hillary Clinton. She is a member of DGA, AMPAS, and is represented by CAA. She has won over 50 film festival awards worldwide. She lives in Los Angeles.

Format: Unscripted Features, Unscripted Episodic, Scripted Shorts, Scripted Feature, Scripted Episodic

Genre: Coming of Age, Documentary, Environmental, Drama, Family, Historical, LGBTQ+, Politics, Refugees, Social Justice, True Story, Women

Location: Los Angeles, California, United States

Academy Award, Best Short Documentary, 2007

Academy Award Nomination, Best Short Documentary, 2012

Special Jury Prize, Sundance, 2007

Honorable Mention, Sundance, 2010

Emmy, News & Documentary, 2023