ELYSE FRENCHMAN | Documentary Filmmaker
I am a documentary filmmaker based in Brooklyn, New York. I specialize in telling stories that generate social impact by re-informing narratives and perspectives. I am drawn to character driven stories take care in holding space for people to share their stories.
I recently produced Fragments of Paradise, which had its World Premiere at the 2022 Venice Film Festival, winning Best Documentary on Cinema. Other credits include True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality (HBO 2019, Peabody Award; Emmy Award for Outstanding Social Issue Documentary); The Soul of America (HBO, 2020); King in the Wilderness (HBO, 2018; Emmy Award for Outstanding Historical Documentary; Sundance Official Selection).
I am also a strong criminal and environmental justice advocate. I volunteer with reform organizations, working to help people prepare for parole hearings, and I lived aboard a decommissioned coast guard cutter with Sea Shepherd to document interdiction efforts in order to prevent illegal poaching of the Vaquita Porpoise. Additionally, I run a non-profit, The Way We See, which creates short documentaries to advocate for shorter prison sentences or alternatives to incarceration. To date, our work has directly resulted in a 68% reduction in our client’s sentences. One Assistant District Attorney said our video ‘completely changed their perspective on the case and the client.’
I received my Bachelor’s Degree from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU, concentration titled: Impressions of Time: Creating the Unconditional Reality of Film. I’m a former professional figure skater, aspiring slam poet and cave exploring enthusiast.
