James N. Kienitz Wilkins

James N. Kienitz Wilkins
Born
U.S.
OccupationsFilmmaker, artist, writer, Professor
Years active2005–present

James N. Kienitz Wilkins is an American filmmaker, artist, and writer based in Brooklyn, New York.[1][2] He is best known for his films Public Hearing (2012), Common Carrier (2019), Still Film (2023) and The Misconceived (2026).[3][4][5] He is assistant professor of Screen Studies at Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, The New School.[6]

Life and career

Kienitz Wilkins graduated from The Cooper Union School of Art, where he made early short films including Springtime (2007) and Nature Mature (2007).[7] His debut feature documentary, Public Hearing (2012), premiered at CPH:DOX.[8] His works have screened at the Berlin International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, New York Film Festival, and International Film Festival Rotterdam.[6] In 2016, he was named one of Filmmaker Magazine's "25 New Faces of Independent Film".[9]

Kienitz Wilkins's most recent feature, The Misconceived (2026), had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.[10]

Selected filmography

  • 2012: Public Hearing
  • 2017: Common Carrier
  • 2017: The Republic
  • 2019: The Plagiarists
  • 2023: Still Film
  • 2026: The Misconceived

Awards and nominations

Year Result Award Category Work Ref.
2012 Nominated CPH:DOX New Vision Award Public Hearing [8]
2015 Won Ann Arbor Film Festival George Manupelli Founders Spirit Award Special Features [11]
2016 Nominated International Film Festival Rotterdam Tiger Award for Short Film B-ROLL with Andre [12]
2019 Won Tacoma Film Festival Best Screenplay The Plagiarists [6]

References

  1. ^ "The Hypocrite: James N. Kienitz Wilkins on Cine-phobia and Film School". filmmakermagazine.com. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ^ "James N. Kienitz Wilkins". bombmagazine.org. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ^ "How Much Power Do the Little Guys and Gals Have? 4 Poltical Docs at Camden". indiewire.com. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ^ "BAMcinemaFest 2017: James N. Kienitz Wilkins's Common Carrier". slantmagazine.com. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ^ "The Misconceived with James N. Kienitz Wilkins". tiff.net. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ^ a b c "James Kienitz Wilkins". newschool.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ^ "Interview - James N. Kienitz Wilkins". metrograph.com. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ^ a b "CPH:DOX" (PDF). cphdox.dk. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ^ "James N. Kienitz Wilkins". filmmakermagazine.com. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ^ "Rotterdam Film Fest Adds 'The Misconceived' and Absurdist Musical Road Movie Whose Title Is Way Too Long for This Headline". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ^ "53RD AAFF AWARDS ANNOUNCED". aafilmfest.org. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ^ "B-ROLL with Andre". iffr.com. Retrieved 2026-02-24.