Danae Grandison is a Jamaican-born independent filmmaker currently residing in Brooklyn, New York. After 20 years in design and advertising, she discovered her passion for film while attending the School of Visual Arts in 2011. It was here that she studied with Oscar-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris as well as writing and directing her thesis film, [Re] Defined. Premiering in Oscar-qualifying film festivals like Urban World Film Festival (NY) and Pan African Film Festival (LA), [Re] Defined, would be the beginning of an eclectic and fruitful film career for Grandison.
After receiving her Masters in Directing in 2016, Grandison continued to produce award-winning short films such as Professional Cuddler, starring Dana Ivey, Just One Bite for Regal & Coca-Cola, as well as directing commercials and music videos. Her latest short film, The Bed Head, is a literary adaptation, based on ‘The Bedhead’ by Jennifer Grahame, which recently toured the (2018) festival circuit, premiering domestically and internationally across North America, Africa, France, and the Caribbean. Unspoken also took home awards,
Grandison is a member of NYWIFT | JAFTA | WIFTA JA.
winning the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the Katra Film series and New York Women in Film & Television’s Most Outstanding Female Content Creator at the same series in 2020
With poise and empathy, Grandison believes in embracing the lives and narratives of others with careful observation, crafting stories that authentically speak to her audience. As a visionary leader, Grandison’s work has been praised by outlets like the Huffington Post’s [Canada] Allia McLeod stating “Gracefully shot, Unspoken carries more weight in the moments when no one is speaking and the inner tension screen is palpable.” Unspoken is currently in development as a feature-length screenplay she plans to direct and is expected to begin filming in 2024.
Recently, Grandison participated in the AICP’s Over 40 Mentorship Program (2021-22), selected SHOOT 2020 New Directors showcase, was a screenplay finalist in the Anchorage International Film Festival (2020), and was a part of the inaugural Australian International Screen Forum’s Women in Screen workshop (2019). Danae’s work explores themes of human empathy while masterfully encouraging critical dialogue on how we can understand our narratives and those told in society.Grandison is a member of NYWIFT | JAFTA | WIFTA JA.