Happy International Women’s Day to all of the incrus Content, including our clients,Happy International Women’s Day to all of the incredible and inspiring women of Anonymous Content, including our clients, colleagues and friends! Today, we are proud to spotlight the women of our commercial directing roster and their changemaking work. Read on for more about each of these women and to view their reels.Happy International Women’s Day to all of the incredible and inspiring
ALYSSA MCCLELLANDis an award-winning director and writer whose darkly comedic sensibility exemplies a unique perspective in telling stories that are fundamentally optimistic. Her natural insight into human nature coupled with her eye for finding the comedic potential in the everyday set her apart and make up her versatile approach to directing. She has helmed campaigns for a host of major brands such as Google, Apple, Air New Zealand, Samsung, Netflix and Vodafone, and her commercial work has been honored at the D&AD and London International Awards, among others. She was also awarded the InStyle Magazine Woman Of Style Award scholarship for her work as a filmmaker.
Alyssa directed, wrote and starred in the two seasons of cult-hit web series “One Step Closer To Home,” which won several awards and gained a large following on acclaimed website Funny or Die. Her short film Nic and Shauna was a finalist in Tropfest, the largest short film festival in the world.Alyssa’s short film, Second Best has had great success on the international film festival circuit, winning many awards including the Oscar-qualifying Dendy Award for Best Live Action Short Film at the 2018 Sydney Film Festival, as well as the award for Best Direction in an Australian Short Film at Flickerfest International Short Film Festival 2018 and the Best Short Film award at the Milano Film Festival 2018.
Most recently, she directed three episodes for the final season of Netflix’s hit series “Sex Education” and the first block of the streamer’s new young adult drama “Everything Now.”
AUTUMN DE WILDE documents the ever-changing cultural zeitgeist. Each of her projects is an intimate collaboration between her and her subjects. Through her commercials, films, music videos, print campaign and key art photography, she has defined the visual identity of some of entertainment’s greatest talents.In 2020, de Wilde made her feature directorial debut, with Emma., Working Title’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel, starring Anya Taylor-Joy (Split, The Witch) in the title role. With Emma., de Wilde ignited her distinct style of visual storytelling, combining her talent for directing physical comedy with her keen eye for emotional cinematic tapestry to deliver a richly-realized reimagination of the beloved novel. Emma. was longlisted for Best Picture at the BAFTAs and Vogue named her to their list of Women Directors Who Deserve an Oscar Nomination in 2021.
In her branded work, de Wilde effortlessly blurs the line between art and advertising. She combines her contemporary pop style with a distinctly cinematic feel, which can be seen in her commercials for clients including Martini; Uniqlo, and Facebook and her latest — Hoka’s joyful choreographed hike for their “Fly Human Fly” campaign. Other notable work includes the stylish celebration of individuality “Just Because” for Diet Coke, which Campaign Magazine named a top 10 Ad of the Year, and which went on to win a Gold and two Silvers at the Ciclope, Shots EMEA and Kinsale Shark Awards, respectively.
She has been instrumental in exploring new ground in the visual identity of an ever-expanding pool of well-known actors, musicians and artists including Beck, Elliott Smith, The White Stripes, Childish Gambino, Lena Dunham, Jenny Lewis, Kirsten Dunst, Zooey Deschanel. Her music videos include the first four singles for Florence + The Machine’s latest album Dance Fever.
In addition to her work as a creator of visual identities and images, de Wilde has authored several books: Elliott Smith, an in-depth look at the late artist through her photographs and recorded conversations; Under Great White Northern Lights, documenting The White Stripes in Canada during their finaltour; and Beck, a chronicle of her 16-year friendship and creative partnership with musician Beck Hansen. Her photography has graced the covers of fashion and lifestyle magazines, L’Uomo Vogue, BlackBook, New York Magazine, Flare, PAPER, Stylist, FILTER and L’Officiel Italia. For 12 years , she has documented Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the design team behind the couture fashion brand Rodarte.
CARA STRICKER is an Australian born director, writer, musician and artist. Stricker first started making films, photographs and installations as a young teenager, stemming from her background as a dancer and musician. She is known for her work that combines filmmaking with her creative direction, choreography, and expressive narratives. Her unique blend of feminism, nature and performance creates work that is both subversive and otherworldly.
Her work has been screened, exhibited, printed, and performed around the world. Stricker’s major commissions include: creating a techno-surrealist land-based prayer prompt short film with the Miccosukee, Seminole and Black Carribean community’s of Miami within the Everglades, Allapattah, and installations by James Turrell, Es Devlin and teamLab for Superblue; Bvglari global campaigns for 23’ and 24’ featuring Zendaya and Anne Hathaway; a four part polyptych instillation and music video for Alicia Keys; visual sonic film about the late Aaliyah’s legacy; and album films for Chloe and Halle, Blood Orange, Kelsey Lu, Amber Mark, Tei Shi and Kadhja Bonet. She has collaborated with global brands such as Gucci, MAC Makeup, Chanel, Alexander Wang, Missoni, musicians such as SZA and Perfume Genius, and photographed for titles such as Vogue, Dazed, I-D Magazine, Fader, Interview Magazine and Oyster.
Her work has been awarded and screened internationally including at Cannes Lions, Tribeca Film Festival, Camerimage, Cannes Short Film Festival, Raindance Film Festival, Berlin Music Video Awards, Toronto Shorts Film Festival, Shots awards, HollyShort Film Festival, New Orleans Film Festival, Rooftop Film Festival New York, London Short Film Festival, Palm Springs International Shortfest, Sugar Mountain festival and Vivid Sydney. Her short narrative ‘Maverick’, starring Abbey Lee and Rhys Coiro, which she wrote and directed, premiered at FFFest, and her commercial film short, “Carlos,” that explores how micro-mobility is transforming the lives of its users, was shortlisted for both best non-fiction short at Cannes Lions and Best Branded Content at the Tribeca X Award.
Most recent solo exhibitions include two mixed media shows at The Hole NYC. Her latest albums include collaboration with musician John Kirby (Solange Knowles, Frank Ocean, Blood Orange, Sebastian Tellier) to direct, perform and produce music for their audio visual album, ‘Drool’, and her solo ambient album and short film ‘Formless’, both released on Terrible Records, with screenings and performances across Australia, LA and New York City. She lives in Los Angeles.
DEE REESis an Academy Award-nominated writer who made her commercial directing debut in 2018 with two Oscars spots: The 60-second short film The Box for Walmart and the star-studded spot “Make It Yours” for Samsung, in which Rees also cameoed. On the same night, Rees made awards history with her feature drama Mudbound, whose four Academy Award nominations included Best Adapted Screenplay (for co-writers Rees and Virgil Williams), making her the first African American Woman ever to be nominated for Writing.
An alumna of New York University’s graduate film program and a 2008 Sundance Screenwriting & Directing Lab Fellow, Rees’s first feature Pariah premiered at Sundance in 2011 and won Excellence in Cinematography Award for the festival’s U.S. Dramatic competition. Pariah went on to be honored with the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards; the Gotham Award for Best Breakthrough Director; and Outstanding Film –Limited Release at the GLAAD Media Awards. Rees’s other work includes HBO film Bessie about the life of singer Bessie Smith, which won four Primetime Emmys, including the award for Outstanding Television Movie. She has also written and directed TV episodes for Fox’s smash-hit “Empire” and ABC’s miniseries “When We Rise,” about the history of the modern gay rights movement.
Rees most recently directed two episodes of the AppleTV+ series “Masters of the Air”, one which she also co-wrote; as well as executive produced Hulu’s eight-part series adaptation of Alexis Schaitkin’s psychological drama novel Saint X, also directing an episode.
ELENA PETITTI DI RORETO builds layered imaginative narratives for commercials and fashion films. Taking inspiration from art and photography, her work is characterized by a strong attention to aesthetics: details, light and composition. Based in London, she has worked with worldwide brands including Hennessy, Harley-Davidson, Bottega Veneta, Valentino, Hugo Boss, Vogue Italia and i-D. Her latest, “First Cup” for WaterAid, highlights the impact access to clean water has across generations. The film, which she shot in Malawi, won Silver for Best Child Direction at the Kinsale Shark Awards. Other recent work includes the stark-palette blend of visuals for Aberlour whisky, a visually lush exploration for VRBO, and her first Super Bowl spot, the emotional odyssey “Monday” for Publicis Groupe’s “Working With Cancer” campaign, which won the 2023 Cannes Lions Health Grand Prix for Good. The film, which Elena also scripted, tells the story of two people’s complex physical, mental and emotional journeys as they prepare to return to their workplaces, as they fight cancer.
Other notable work includes her 34-minute film, ANNA, which interweaves live performance, interviews, and abstract imagery to create a multi-dimensional portrait of the iconic opera singer Anna Netrebko.
Elena has won several prestigious awards in her native country Italy, including Best New Italian Film at the Fashion Film Festival Milano in 2016 and 2018.
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KATE & LAURA MULLEAVYare visionary creatives who, having mastered the world of fashion, brought their unique aesthetic to visual arts. The sisters made their feature film debut with the hypnotic drama Woodshock, starring Kirsten Dunst, just months after presenting their spring couture collection for their own fashion label, Rodarte, during Paris Haute Couture Week. Though their background is in fashion, the two are no strangers to film, having designed the ballet costumes for Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan,” for which they were nominated for a Broadcast Film Critics Award. Naturally, they also designed the costumes for the artistically divergent Woodshock.
In 2005, Kate and Laura founded the Rodarte, a conceptual and innovative luxury brand known for its artistic mixture of high couture, modern femininity and California influences. In 2011, Rodarte first solo show opened at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, and today, their works are featured in the permanent collections of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
MARLEEN VALIEN is a Berlin-based director and writer whose short films, commercials and music videos are marked by lush, sensual visuals and rich color palettes, combined with a playful approach that belies a deeper approach to storytelling. Her commercial work includes campaigns for Pinterest and German publishing house Reclam; and her stop-motion spec commercials for Oatly won two golds at the Young Directors Award and were honored at the Spotlight Festival and the Shiny Awards. She has also directed music video promos for Milky Chance and Midnight Tracks, the latter of which won her a silver YDA and a UKMVA nomination.
Her short films include the award-winning Hot Dog, Not the 80s, and A Small Cut — lavishly shot explorations of sexuality and coming of age, which premiered at festivals including Sundance, Tribeca and Clermont-Ferrand. Not the 80s was also recently recognized with a Bronze for Best Short Film at the Ciclope Craft Awards. Her latest work, the mockumentary with feminist arts group Who Needs Feminism Today?, questions why so many billionaires “are flying into space in rockets shaped like male genitalia” and seeks to restore gender equality to the cosmos. The film was shortlisted for three Cannes Lions, including the Glass Lion for Change. It was also featured on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She is currently writing her first feature film.
NADIA LEE COHEN is a photographer, filmmaker and self-portrait artist whose work is heavily inspired by cinema, Americana and Britain particularly in in the 1960’s and 70’s — her photographs and films are veritable visions of saturated, surreal dreamscapes. Drawing upon the duality of the female form, Nadia locks our optics upon the twisted paradise that lurks within her mind, exploring the paradoxical standoff between strength and fragility within womankind. Her commercial work includes spots for Netflix, Chobani, Miu Miu, GCDS, Sonic, MAC Cosmetics and 23andMe. She has been interviewed by Vogue, Elle and LOVE magazine, and her work featured in Paper, i-D, Vice, New York Magazine, Hunger and many others.
She has released two books, Hello My Name Is, which sees her transform herself into 33 different characters, inspired by name badges belonging to unknown individuals; and Women — a hyper-surrealist, deeply moving pop iconography of 100 extra unordinary portraits.
OLIVIA WILDE
made her feature-film directorial debut with the raucous, uproarious comedy Booksmart, which was one of the best-reviewed films of 2019 with 97% “Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. Named one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch, Wilde’s highly anticipated follow-up feature, Don’t Worry Darling, starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, was released in 2022. Her latest commercial work is “Tache,” the launch film for Amazon Prime’s latest global campaign, which was shortlisted at last year’s Cannes Lions, British Arrows and AICP Awards.
In 2020, she directed the branded short “Wake Up,” starring Margaret Qualley for HP. The film, which explores human connections and our relationship with technology, debuted alongside the Sundance Film Festival, was shortlisted for a Tribeca X Award, and was awarded Best New Director at the AICP Awards.
Wilde is a board member of the organization “Artists for Peace and Justice,” which supports communities in Haiti through programs in education, health care, and dignity through the performing arts.
She is currently set to direct A24’s series adaption of Jennifer Egan’s best-selling novels A Visit from the Goon Squad and its sequel The Candy House.
PATTY JENKINS is an award-winning writer and director best known for directing Warner Bros. Pictures and DCs’ 2017 blockbuster Wonder Woman and 2020 follow up Wonder Woman 1984, as well as her debut Oscar-winning feature Monster. Additionally, Jenkins is responsible her creative work helming the pilot and series finale of AMC’s hit show “The Killing,” garnering her the 2012 DGA Award for Best Director of the Year along with a Primetime Emmy nomination. After the success of her debut feature, Jenkins went on to direct many commercials and TV programs. In addition to her award-winning work on the pilot and finale of “The Killing,” she directed episodes of Fox’s “Arrested Development” and HBO’s “Entourage,” and the pilot episodes of ABC’s “Betrayal” and “Exposed.” She also directed and executive produced the critically acclaimed 2019 TNT limited drama series “I Am the Night.”
In 2017, Jenkins became the first woman in history to helm a live action film with a budget over $100 million, and the first woman to direct a major superhero film with her global and critical hit Wonder Woman. The film opened to rave reviews and became one of Rotten Tomatoes’ highest-rated superhero films of all time. Additionally, it smashed box office records, becoming the highest-grossing film of the summer and third-highest-grossing film of the year domestically, and the highest-grossing live-action film directed solo by a woman – domestic and worldwide. To date, Wonder Woman has grossed more than $822.1 million at the global box office.
