Justin Simien

Directing

Justin Simien

Born May 7, 1983 · Houston, Texas, USA (age 43)

Justin Simien (born May 7, 1983) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. His first feature film, Dear White People, won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. It was later adapted into the Netflix series of the same name (2017–2021). Simien has also been named to Variety's 2013 "10 Directors to Watch" list.

Known For

MoonlightMoonlight · 2016
Moonlight
7.42016
MovieDrama
The tender, heartbreaking story of a young man’s struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love, while grappling with his own sexuality.
Haunted MansionHaunted Mansion · 2023
Haunted Mansion
6.42023
MovieComedyDrama
A woman and her son enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.
Bad HairBad Hair · 2021
Bad Hair
5.62021
MovieHorrorComedy
In 1989, an ambitious young woman gets a weave in order to succeed in the image-obsessed world of music television. However, her flourishing career may come at a great cost when she realizes that her new hair may have a mind of its own.
Dear White PeopleDear White People · 2014
Dear White People
6.12014
MovieComedyDrama
A campus culture war between Blacks and whites at a predominantly white Ivy League college comes to a head when the staff of a satirical magazine stages an offensive Halloween party.
Stay for the Q&AStay for the Q&A · 2026
Stay for the Q&A
2026
MovieComedy
Following a feature film premiere, at a prestigious film festival, a routine Q&A devolves into a familiar and unhinged experience.
The GoldfishThe Goldfish · 2013
The Goldfish
2013
MovieDrama
This film is an adaptation of Etgar Keret's famed short story 'What Of This Goldfish Would You Wish?' in which a young man named Yoni (Jason Ritter) sets out to make a documentary about the secret longings of everyday Americans. By knocking on strangers doors and asking them this question: 'If you had a magic goldfish that granted you three wishes, what of this goldfish would you wish?' Yoni thinks he will discover the hopes, dreams and greatest wishes his fellow citizens. But Yoni is not prepared when he meets an elderly immigrant named Sergei who we learn has been wrestling with the exact same question for years and is desperate not to lose his old friend-- a beautiful talking goldfish (Lucy Punch).
Dear White PeopleDear White People · 2017
Dear White People
5.92017
SeriesComedyDrama
Students of color navigate the daily slights and slippery politics of life at an Ivy League college that's not nearly as "post-racial" as it thinks.
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-HopLadies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop · 2023
Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop
7.82023
SeriesDocumentary
Rappers, writers and experts detail the influence of women on hip-hop music and culture in this docuseries honoring the trailblazers and game-changers.

Filmography

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