Director, screenwriter, producer

Amy Berg is a critically acclaimed, Oscar and Emmy nominated filmmaker known for her fearless storytelling and emotionally resonant portraits of complex figures. Her debut documentary, DELIVER US FROM EVIL, was nominated for an Academy Award and a DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary in 2007, immediately establishing her as a powerful voice in investigative filmmaking.

She went on to direct WEST OF MEMPHIS, produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. The film premiered to critical acclaim at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, received a BAFTA nomination, won the WGA Award for Best Documentary Screenplay, and was released theatrically by Sony Pictures Classics.

In 2013, Berg made her narrative feature debut with the psychological thriller EVERY SECRET THING, starring Diane Lane, Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Banks, Common, and Danielle Macdonald, which premiered at Tribeca and was released by IFC Films. She returned to documentary with AN OPEN SECRET, an unflinching look at abuse within the entertainment industry, followed by PROPHET’S PREY, an examination of religious extremism produced in association with Showtime and Imagine Entertainment. The film premiered at Sundance and was released theatrically in 2015.

Berg’s acclaimed portrait of music icon Janis Joplin, JANIS: LITTLE GIRL BLUE, premiered at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals before its international theatrical release, becoming a global success. She continued her work in long-form investigative storytelling with HBO’s groundbreaking series THE CASE AGAINST ADNAN SYED (2019), which contributed to renewed legal scrutiny in the case and ultimately preceded Syed’s release from prison in 2022. That same year, her two-part documentary PHOENIX RISING premiered at Sundance and debuted on HBO and HBO Max.

Most recently, Berg directed IT’S NEVER OVER, JEFF BUCKLEY, a deeply intimate and definitive portrait of the legendary musician. Met with critical acclaim and box office success, the film explores Buckley’s artistry, vulnerability, and enduring cultural impact through rare archival footage and personal testimony, further cementing Berg’s reputation for crafting emotionally immersive stories about iconic yet complicated artists.

Following this success, Amy is currently working on a documentary about the life and legacy of legendary recording artist CHRIS CORNELL (officially endorsed by Cornell’s estate).

Through her production company, Disarming Films, Berg has produced documentary features and series for over a decade. Projects include THE CASE AGAINST ADNAN SYED (HBO), WE ARE: THE BROOKLYN SAINTS (Netflix), and the Emmy Award–winning series DOGS (Netflix), for which she directed the acclaimed episode “Bravo Zeus,” following a Syrian refugee’s journey to reunite with his beloved dog. Additional recent projects include KEEP THIS BETWEEN US (Freeform), PHOENIX RISING (HBO), and dramatic independent feature THE WILDERNESS.

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JURY LONG FORM