Biography
Vanessa Beletic is a Haitian born and raised filmmaker who brings her diverse background, eye for bold aesthetics, and her relentless filter for authenticity to tell stories grounded in reality with characters who defy the odds by way of magic, perseverance, or straight-up hustle.
After moving to the U.S with her family at 13 years old, Beletic studied dance and education at New York City's Hunter College and launched herself into an esteemed career as a professional dancer. It was in Los Angeles, working with acclaimed commercial and music video directors on projects for Michael Jackson, Prince, and Justin Timberlake, that she decided to pursue her life-long passion for filmmaking.
Beletic's debut narrative short, "Catching Spirits" recently won the Jury Award for Best Live Action Short at the 2022 New Hampshire Film Festival, making her film eligible for Academy Award consideration. She is also a mentor to several young female filmmakers as part of her advocacy for the advancement of Black women's voices in film and media.
Beletic was recently selected as one of eight filmmakers to join the American Film Institute's DWW+ Class of 2023, which is a year-long directing workshop that supports women and traditionally underrepresented narrative filmmakers.
Beletic's debut narrative short, "Catching Spirits" recently won the Jury Award for Best Live Action Short at the 2022 New Hampshire Film Festival, making her film eligible for Academy Award consideration. She is also a mentor to several young female filmmakers as part of her advocacy for the advancement of Black women's voices in film and media.
Beletic was recently selected as one of eight filmmakers to join the American Film Institute's DWW+ Class of 2023, which is a year-long directing workshop that supports women and traditionally underrepresented narrative filmmakers.