After being introduced to the magic of horror and thrillers at the age of 11, Ariel Sinelnikoff decided to pursue a career in film directing, writing, and producing. While earning her BA in Film Production at San Francisco State University, she began to explore socio-political issues that were close to her heart, such as women's and LGBTQ+ rights, through the lens of genre filmmaking. Genres such as Horror, Sci-Fi, and Action-Thrillers allowed her to make the nuanced experiences endured by members of these communities easily accessible to a larger audience. She continued this work while earning her MFA in Film Directing at Brooklyn College’s Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema, the first public graduate film school in New York City and the only US film school located on a working film lot. It was here that she made her feminist Action-Thriller, Catfight, which has been well received at several festivals. Ariel currently resides in Los Angeles, where she continues to explore these subjects and genres as a filmmaker.
2021 SICK CHICK FLICKS FILM FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL SELECTION - CATFIGHT
2020 ANOTHER HOLE IN THE HEAD FILM FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL SELECTION - CATFIGHT
OFFICIAL SELECTION - CATFIGHT
*Nominated for Best Director Short and Best Score Short
2020 QUEENS WORLD FILM FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL SELECTION - CATFIGHT
2019 URBAN ACTION SHOWCASE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL SELECTION - CATFIGHT
OFFICIAL SELECTION - CATFIGHT
BROOKLYN COLLEGE'S FEIRSTEIN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF CINEMA DEAN'S AWARD
2019 DIRECTING TRACK RECIPIENT
SCREENCRAFT FALL 2018 FILM FUND SEMIFINALIST
OFFICIAL SELECTION - CATFIGHT
OFFICIAL SELECTION - 4:48 PSYCHOSIS
SCREENCRAFT SPRING 2018 FILM FUND SEMIFINALIST
OFFICIAL SELECTION - CATFIGHT
NEW YORK MAYOR'S OFFICE OF TV AND MEDIA SCHOLARSHIP
RECIPIENT, 2016-19
2014 ANOTHER HOLE IN THE HEAD FILM FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL SELECTION - ENCEINTE
2013 SAN FRANCISCO UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL
OFFICIAL SELECTION - HARVEST
2013 SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY FILM FINALS
OFFICIAL SELECTION - HARVEST
SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE NOMINEE FOR HER FILMS DON'T DO SADNESS
AND GIRL WITH ONE EYE
2013 RONALD A. JACOBS SCHOLARSHIP
RECIPIENT FOR HER FILMS DON'T DO SADNESS AND GIRL WITH ONE EYE
RECIPIENT FOR HER COURAGEOUS PERSUADERS PSA, "A TRUE FRIEND"
2010 BANK OF AMERICA ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
RECIPIENT FOR HER ACHIEVEMENTS IN APPLIED ARTS IN SAN RAFAEL HIGH SCHOOL'S MEDIA ACADEMY
AND BROADCASTING