Justin Simien
Critically-acclaimed Writer, Director
& Producer of Dear White People
Book This Speaker At A Glance
Justin Simien is the writer & director and a producer of the critically acclaimed feature, Dear White People, which won the Special Jury Award for “Breakthrough Talent” at the 2014 Sundance film festival. The film was also awarded with the "Audience
… Read moreLinks
Categories
Justin Simien is the writer & director and a producer of the critically acclaimed feature, Dear White People, which won the Special Jury Award for “Breakthrough Talent” at the 2014 Sundance film festival. The film was also awarded with the "Audience Award" at the 2014 San Francisco International Film Festival, and also earned Justin a spot in in Variety magazine's 10 Directors to Watch.
Justin gained national attention after making a "concept trailer" for his then unproduced screenplay of Dear White People that went viral on youtube garnering over a million views and fifty thousand dollars in donations from fans around the world. He has appeared on CNN to talk about the issues in the film and contributed articles to CNN.com and the Huffingtonpost. Most recently, Justin adapted Dear White People into a series for Netflix, earning a coveted and rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes for his first season.
Justin’s previous credits include the Streamy-nominated web series INST MSGS, which was distributed by Revision 3. In addition to producing and directing online companion pieces for Participant Media's The Help, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and Middle Of Nowhere campaigns, he has also written, produced and directed for Take Part TV, Participant's funded YouTube Channel.
Before entering the world of content creation, Justin worked as a Publicist and Marketing specialist for film companies such as Paramount Pictures, Focus Features, and Sony Television.
Justin currently lives in Los Angeles, CA where he continues to write, direct and produce for film and television.
Dear White People Trailer
Justin Simien wins Best First Screenplay at the 30th Film Independent Spirit Awards
Justin Simien's 'Dear White People' is influenced by, but not based on, his years at Chapman University
VultureWhen Justin Simien started as a film student at Chapman University in Orange, he found himself as the rare black student navigating a mostly white campus.… Read more
Sundance Review: 'Dear White People' (A Cinematic Answer To The Year Of The "Race-Themed" Film)
VultureSundance: Dear White People Gets Their Attention
VultureThe title refers to an incendiary radio show at a fictional Ivy League college, Winchester University, hosted by a militant revolutionary, biracial film student named Samantha White (Tessa Thompson), who believes Gremlins is about white people’s fear of black urban encroachment, because… Read more
10 Directors to Watch: Justin Simien Puts ‘White People’ in Perspective
VultureWith that pointed query, Justin Simien kicked off his successful Indiegogo crowd-funding push for his debut feature, “Dear White People,” in June 2012. He immediately hit a nerve: His witty concept trailer went viral and soon the filmmaker, whose publicity skills were… Read more
Stockholm Festival: Justin Simien Discusses ‘Dear White People’
VultureJustin Simien’s Sundance-awarded campus comedy Dear White People has made a real buzz at Stockholm, with screening sold out and additional screenings added during festival’s last weekend. Since its U.S. release last month through Roadside Attractions, the film has earned more than… Read more
