Rachel Johnson’s award-winning films

investigate themes of love, coming of age journeys, stages of grief, trust and forgiveness, girl/womanhood, friendship, power dynamics in everyday life, sacrifice, perseverance, and triumph. Her cinematic thumb print includes developing dynamic stories and using them to bring attention to critical issues and new perspectives. She’s committed to using film to visually mine and unearth the deeper layers of emotion and create impactful imagery showcasing memorable truths. 

Her films have garnered many notable awards and support such as the George Heinemann Film Production Award, a Warner Bros. Film Award, the Fox Television, Benjamin L. Hooks Fellowship, a CINE Golden Eagle Award, a New York City Council Citation, and an African Movie Academy Award among others. Rachel completed a prestigious research program with The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, an Artist Development Fellowship “DEAR Artist” with the CCCAD Institute, and professional development sessions within the Indie Memphis Film Festival’s Black Creators Forum. She was a 2022 Sundance Uprise Grant finalist and received support for her films from advancing organizations such as New York State Council of the Arts, Brooklyn Arts Council Community Arts, and the PANO network. Her films have screened in film festivals across the United States of America and countries in Europe and Africa.

Most recently Rachel has directed two short films; Fast, a coming of age short film that explores the innocence of girlhood and factors that threaten it, and When it Runs, a film that interrogates grief and the impact of environmental racism via a psychological horror lens. 

She is currently developing original material for both short form and long form including her feature film directorial debut. She is based in NYC.