Kirsten Johnson

Documentary Filmmaking Specialisation Mentor

Kirsten Johnson is a New York-based documentary producer, director and principal cinematographer.

She has worked on more than 40 feature-length documentaries. 

Her Academy-shortlisted film Cameraperson (2016) premiered at Sundance Film Festival and the following year won three Cinema Eye Honors awards, including Outstanding Nonfiction Feature. Cameraperson was also named one of the “Top Ten Films of 2016” by the Washington Post and the New York Times, and was the Grand Jury Prize Winner at the San Francisco International Film Festival and Sheffield International Documentary Festival. 

Earlier credits include short film The Above (2015), which premiered at the 2015 New York Film Festival; Deadline (2004), which she co-directed with Katy Chevigny; and The Oath (2010), which she shared the 2010 Sundance Cinematography Award with director Laura Poitras. 

Kirsten was principal cinematographer of Academy Award-winning Citizenfour (2004), Academy Award-nominated The Invisible War (2012), Tribeca Documentary winner Pray The Devil Back to Hell (2008), A Place at the Table (2012), and Derrida (2002). 

Her camerawork also appears in Risk (2016), Michael Moore-directed Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004), Emmy Award-winning Ladies First (2013) and This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006).