About & Contact
Dana Brandes-Simon is a Brooklyn-based journalist, documentary filmmaker, and lecturer at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. She has a wide array of experience in investigative, political, and human rights–focused storytelling. Her work centers on translating complex and sensitive reporting into clear, ethically grounded narratives for broad audiences. As a producer, she has worked on major documentary projects funded by A24, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, CNN, and Showtime, contributing original reporting, narrative development, and editorial guidance from development through post-production. As an educator, Dana has guided students in developing pitches and carrying them from inception through publication on their own websites and social media platforms.
Previous projects include Kate Stonehill's feature documentary, Phantom Parrot, Jill Magid's short film, Tender, for Field of Vision and Creative Time, Showtime’s The Circus: The Greatest Political Show on Earth, CNN’s Death Row Stories, HBO Max’s Generation Hustle, Netflix’s Mr. McMahon, and The Act of Dreaming.
e: dbrandessimon@gmail.com