JOHANNA STEINHART (aka Jo) is an award-winning writer & director from San Francisco living in Los Angeles. She received her MFA in Directing from The AFI Conservatory in 2022 and her BA in Film & Gender Studies from Sarah Lawrence College. 

 

Her AFI thesis film Daddy stars Emily Robinson (Eighth Grade, Transparent) and premiered at AFI Fest, followed by a festival run around the country including Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, Tallgrass Film Festival, Poppy Jasper International Film Festival (Audience Award), and the Albuquerque Film & Music Experience (Best Student Film). It's now available to stream on Film Shortage.

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Jo's films focus on complex characters and taboo topics explored through darkly humorous, character-driven stories. She's currently working on getting her first feature made while directing music videos and commercials, in addition to making her weekly film review podcast, Let 'er talk. She's also a yoga teacher, desert rat, vinyl collector, boulderer, and dog mother (of a sweet Jindo named Sugar).