Bonni Cohen

Cohen in 2016

Bonni Cohen is an American documentary film producer and director. She is the co-founder of Actual Films and has produced and directed an array of award-winning films. Most recently, she co-directed, along with husband Jon Shenk, the 2024 documentary In Waves and War, which was released on Netflix in November, 2025. She also produced the Oscar-nominated film Lead Me Home, which premiered at the 2021 Telluride Film Festival and is a Netflix Original. She also recently co-directed Athlete A, which won an Emmy for Outstanding Investigative Documentary and received four nominations from the Critics’ Choice Awards. She is the co-founder of Actual Films, the production company of the documentaries An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, Audrie & Daisy, 3.5 Minutes, The Island President, Lost Boys of Sudan and The Rape of Europa. Cohen is the co-founder of the Catapult Film Fund.

Career

Cohen co-directed the 2024 documentary In Waves and War. She also co-directed Athlete A and An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. In 2016, Cohen co-directed the film Audrie & Daisy, which premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival where it was acquired by Netflix.

Cohen is the producer of The Island President, a documentary about the first democratically elected president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed. In 2009, Cohen produced the film Wonders are Many, directed by Jon Else, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007. Cohen co-directed Inside Guantanamo with Else. Cohen also served as Executive Producer of the documentary films 3.5 Minutes and Art and Craft.

Filmography

Directed features

Producing credits

Awards and nominations

References

  1. ↑ "Cannes 2017 Women Directors: Meet Bonni Cohen — "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power"". womenandhollywood.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  2. 1 2 "'Inconvenient Sequel' directors Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk bring hope to the climate crisis". Los Angeles Times. 2017-07-27. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bonni Cohen". Variety. 2021-04-15. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  4. ↑ "IDA Appoints Award-Winning Filmmakers Bonni Cohen and Jannat Gargi to Board of Directors". International Documentary Association. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  5. 1 2 "In Waves and War". inwavesandwar.com. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Lead Me Home". www.leadmehomefilm.com. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  7. ↑ "News 2021 Nominees (Documentaries) – The Emmys". theemmys.tv. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  8. ↑ "5th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards – List of Nominees and Winners – Critics Choice Awards". Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  9. ↑ "The Rape of Europa". EW.com. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  10. ↑ "Catapult Film Fund Celebrates a Decade of Doc Support". International Documentary Association. 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
  11. ↑ Carey, Matthew (2021-01-10). "'Athlete A' Directors Say USA Gymnastics Should Do More To End Culture Of Abuse – Contenders Documentary". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  12. ↑ Bentley, Jean (2017-11-08). "'An Inconvenient Sequel' Filmmakers on Modifying Their Film After Donald Trump's Climate Policy Changes". IndieWire. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  13. ↑ Wakeman, Jessica (2016-09-23). "Life After Sexual Assault: Inside Harrowing Doc 'Audrie & Daisy'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  14. ↑ Chai, Barbara (2015-12-02). "Sundance Film Festival Announces In-Competition Films for 2016 (See the Full List)". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  15. ↑ Lang, Brent (2016-01-28). "Sundance: Netflix Strikes Again, Picking Up 'Audrie & Daisy'". Variety. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
  16. ↑ "THE ISLAND PRESIDENT". DOC NYC. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  17. ↑ Byrge, Duane (2007-01-25). "Wonders Are Many". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  18. ↑ 2007 Sundance Film Festival Announces Films Archived 2021-08-17 at the Wayback Machine (press release)
  19. 1 2 3 4 "IDA Appoints Award-Winning Filmmakers Bonni Cohen and Jannat Gargi to Board of Directors". International Documentary Association. 2020-03-09. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  20. ↑ Genzlinger, Neil (2009-04-03). "Prison Misery, for Detainees and Guards". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  21. ↑ "Extremis | 2016 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  22. ↑ "Bonni Cohen". Television Academy. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  23. ↑ "2000 IDA Distinguished Documentary Achievement Awards Nominees". International Documentary Association. 2000-11-01. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  24. ↑ "The full list of nominations for the Baftas 2018". The Guardian. 2018-01-09. Retrieved 2021-08-24.
  25. ↑ Thompson, Anne (2020-10-26). "'Crip Camp,' 'Gunda,' and 'Mr. Soul!' Lead Critics Choice Documentary Awards Nominations". IndieWire. Retrieved 2021-08-24.