Kristen Gerweck Diaz

Kristen Gerweck received her J.D. from UCLA Law School where her studies focused on entertainment law and a concurrent study program with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Following her graduation, she practiced law in both New York and California, while continuing her studies of film/theater at the Beverly Hills Playhouse and UCLA. In 2015, Kristen wrote and directed her first short film, East Ramadi, which was chosen as one of five films to screen at the Cannes Emerging Film Showcase in May 2016. It was picked up for distribution by A Contrecorriente Films to screen in European theaters alongside 2017 Oscar nominee, Land of Mine. Shortly after, Kristen wrote a female-driven pilot, Diablo Loco, set in the modern world of East LA gangs, and received a deal with Fullscreen to exclusively write and direct the series; she also wrote Kiss and Cry, a pilot and series bible focused on the competitive world of figure skating. For both these projects, Kristen conducted months of in-person interviews and research, creating an intricate realism in the worlds these stories inhabit. Kristen then wrote and directed The Wind Phone, her second short film. The Wind Phone has screened in over 100 festivals worldwide since its premiere, and has garnered over 30 awards, along with an additional 19 nominations for Best Short Film, Best Direction and Best Original Screenplay. The Wind Phone qualified for the 2019 Academy Awards in the category of Best Live Action Short, and was acquired by the Discover Indie Film Series on Amazon Prime. Following her second short film, Kristen wrote an original limited series, The Half Life of Molly Pierce, based on the novel of the same title. She was also commissioned to adapt a science-fiction novel surrounding climate change into a feature film. Kristen does not limit herself to one particular genre, and instead gravitates toward stories that drive socially or politically meaningful questions. She enjoys bending genre boundaries into fresh artistic territory, with a focus on creating complex and nuanced characters, and deeply authentic environments. She is represented by Artists First.