Marianne Amelinckx

Hi! My name is Marianne “Kusa” Amelinckx. I’m a queer Latina Writer/Director based in Los Angeles, dedicated to telling female-driven and queer stories. My short film, Salta, received the Jury's Mention at the Tribeca Festival 2017 and won Best Short Film at the Pink Apple LGBTQ+ Film Festival. These recognitions, coupled with Venezuela’s political situation, prompted my relocation to Los Angeles. As I sought my footing in the US film industry, I spent two years as a Video Director for a marketing agency, producing weekly social media commercials. In 2021, I embarked on my journey as a freelance director, securing a role directing Mustache Mondays, a PBS SoCal documentary spotlighting queer nightlife in Los Angeles. The film premiered at Outfest Fusion 2022 and earned the LA Press Award for Best LGBT Feature. Co-directing Blessed and Highly Favored in 2022 marked another milestone, winning both the NALIP Women of Color TV Incubator and the Yes and Laughter Lab for Social Impact Comedy. This short film premiered at Outfest Los Angeles 2022 and continued to captivate audiences at Hollyshorts, NewFest, NYLFF, and Seattle Queer Fest. Most recently, I was honored as a finalist in Shondaland’s Women Directing Mentorship Program 2023. Currently, I am producing my first feature documentary, Dear Uncle, and concurrently developing La Barca de La Ilusión, a feature narrative inspired by a story from New York Times Bestselling author Lucia Berlin.