Katherine Fairfax Wright

She is currently in post-production on a feature film that she’s directing for ACE Entertainment. The film is based on a NYTimes bestselling book and stars Maia Reficco and Kit Connor.  She recently wrote and directed a narrative short called READ NO MORE about a soldier recuperating from a traumatic brain injury. Katherine is the director, editor, cinematographer, and producer of the feature-length documentary BEHIND THE CURTAIN: TODRICK HALL (SXSW, Netflix, Starz), which follows performer Todrick Hall as he launches an ambitious full-scale original musical, and from that comes an inspiring tale of grit, perseverance and the redemptive power of art. Katherine is also the director (with Malika Zouhali-Worrall), editor, and cinematographer of the critically acclaimed feature-length documentary CALL ME KUCHU (Berlinale, Netflix, BBC World), which tells the story of the last year in the life the first openly gay man in Uganda. The film played more than 200 festivals, won over 25 awards, and was named by Vanity Fair as one of the ten best films of the year (between Her and Wolf of Wall Street).  It's been distributed around the globe (theatrical/broadcast/digital) and continues to screen for high level diplomatic audiences such as the United Nations and at advocacy events worldwide. Katherine also produced the narrative feature IMPERIAL DREAMS, which stars John Boyega, won an Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, and is now a Netflix Original.

Katherine directs commercials and branded content for companies such as McDonald’s, Pantone, and Perrier-Jouët champagne. She directs political spots for organizations such as ACRONYM, the Democratic Coalition, and Red Wine & Blue. Her print and video work has also been published by outlets such as The New York Times, Human Rights Watch, and CNN.

Katherine was been selected to be included in the 2024 class of Ryan Murphy’s Half Initiative mentees, through which she shadowed Brad Buecker on an episode of Ryan Murphy television. Katherine is also an alumna of numerous fellowships, grants, and labs including the Berlinale Talents, Roger Ebert Directing Fellowship, Film Independent Episodic Directing Intensive, Film Independent Documentary Lab, and Film Independent Producing Lab. Filmmaker Magazine named her one of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” Her work has been supported by organizations such as Cinereach, Chicken & Egg, Frameline, Sundance, The Bertha Foundation, and Catapult Film Fund. She has taught masterclasses for institutions such as Indiana University and has been a mentor for programs such as the Southern Documentary Fund and the state department’s Global Media Makers.

Katherine was raised in Los Angeles and graduated cum laude with a double major in Film Studies and Anthropology from Columbia University. She spent much of her 20s backpacking around the world and speaks Spanish and conversational French. She’s been riding horses since she was tiny and fancies SCUBA diving, spelunking, and other similarly magical enterprises. She exhibits a general fondness toward objects and foodstuffs, and a general competence with fixing things. You can often find her bumbling down the road in her toyhauler camper trailer, with her dog Annie Oakley by her side.