Kana Hatakeyama is an award-winning Japanese + American filmmaker and actor based in Brooklyn. “FITNESS! or a story about SWEAT,” her second film as writer-director, has screened at MoMA, Brooklyn FF, Cucalorus FF, DC Shorts, CAAMFest, Asian American IFF, San Francisco Short FF, San Diego Asian FF, Austin Asian FF, and more, and was supported by a grant from Future of Film is Female. Her first film “okaasan (mom),” filmed in Japan, premiered at Brooklyn FF, followed by screenings at New Orleans FF (Audience Award), Nitehawk Shorts (First Time Filmmaker Award, Audience Award), Dallas International FF (Special Jury Award), Nantucket FF, CAAMFest, San Diego Asian FF, and more, and is currently featured online on NoBudge, Directors Notes and Future of Film is Female Streaming. She is currently in development with her debut feature as writer-director, “Dollyamory,” which has been supported by the Space on Ryder Farm Creative Artist Residency as well as Gotham Project Market Forum 2021. Member of Brooklyn Filmmakers Collective.

Acting credits in TV/Film/Theater include “Orange is the New Black” (Netflix), “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix), “Bull” (CBS), “Tape” (dir. Deborah Kampmeier), “Julius Caesar” (Shakespeare in the Park), “Mary-Kate Olsen is in Love” (The Flea), “Water by the Spoonful” (Premiere Stages), and more. She also works as a translator and consultant on various TV/Film projects, and is currently working as the Japanese Post-Production Consultant on the upcoming HBO Max show “Tokyo Vice.” Kana grew up in both Japan and the United States, and has also spent time in France, Argentina and Kenya. BA Duke University, magna cum laude.