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, Female Fatale. She's also a yoga teacher, desert rat, vinyl collector, boulderer, and dog mother (of a sweet Jindo named Sugar).