Siân Heder

Siân Heder is a writer, director, and producer recognized for her work in film and television, particularly in championing underrepresented voices and communities. Heder grew up in a family of artists and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater from Carnegie Mellon University. She received the Directing Workshop for Women Grant and Fellowship at the American Film Institute. Her early short film, "Mother," won the Cinefondation at Cannes Film Festival, the Grand Jury Prize at Florida Film Festival, and Best Narrative Short at Seattle International Film Festival and Oxford Film Festival.

Heder established her reputation in television by writing and producing for three seasons on the Netflix series "Orange Is the New Black," earning multiple Writers Guild of America nominations. Her television credits also include "Men of a Certain Age," which received a Peabody Award, and she served as executive producer and showrunner on "Little America" for Apple TV+. Her feature debut, "Tallulah," was acquired as a Netflix Original following its premiere at Sundance.

Heder's second feature, "CODA," achieved significant recognition at Sundance Film Festival, winning the Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award, Directing Award, and Ensemble Cast Award. "CODA," adapted from the French-language film "La Famille Bélier," tells the story of the Rossi family, a fishing family in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and their hearing daughter who acts as the family interpreter. Heder and actor Marlee Matlin advocated for authentic casting, hiring deaf actors for key roles. The film was purchased by Apple and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as earning Heder the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Heder continues to focus on stories centered on resilience and social justice. Her feature "Being Heumann," adapted from disability rights activist Judy Heumann's memoir, follows Heumann as she leads a protest advocating for accessibility in federal spaces. The cast includes Ruth Madeley, Mark Ruffalo, Dylan O'Brien, and Rob Delaney. Heder's body of work is defined by a commitment to representation, authenticity, and storytelling that addresses social issues in both the film and television industries.