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Draft:Amy Hesketh

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  • Comment: See MOS:NEOPRONOUN, more specifically. Convert zie/zir etc. to they/their. – Jonesey95 (talk) 02:21, 27 September 2025 (UTC)

Amy Hesketh is an American filmmaker and educator. They are the coordinator of the OC Film School at Olympic College in Bremerton, Washington, where they are a tenured faculty member. Their films as director include Sirwiñakuy (2010), Barbazul (2012), Olalla (2015), Rucker (2022)[1][2], Pygmalion (2023), and the short Glampire (2024). Their teaching and productions have involved hands-on student crews through OC Film School initiatives.[3][4]

Early life and education

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Hesketh was born in 1979 in rural Maine, United States. They grew up in a rural community, an environment that shaped their understanding of family and social dynamics—themes that later recur in their creative work. According to Olympic College, they first became interested in film at age six after an early encounter with horror cinema.[5]

They studied theater throughout school and attended Bard College before completing a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts at Goddard College. They later earned a Master of Fine Arts in Film from Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA).[5][6]

Following their studies, Hesketh lived for several years in France before relocating to Bolivia, where they spent about a decade producing and directing films. They later returned to the United States to continue their filmmaking and academic career.[6]

Career

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Filmmaking

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Hesketh made their feature directorial debut with Sirwiñakuy (2010), part of a slate of independent productions in Bolivia in the 2010s.[7]

They went on to direct Barbazul (2012), a reinterpretation of the Bluebeard myth set in Bolivia, followed by Olalla (2015), adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella. Bolivian newspapers reported the theatrical rollout for both titles: Barbazul was announced for an October 2012 release across major chains,[8] and Olalla opened nationally in January 2015 after production coverage the prior year.[9] [10][7]

In 2022, they directed Rucker (also known as Rucker (The Trucker)). Music press and entertainment outlets covered the U.S. release, noting Corey Taylor’s supporting role and the film’s VOD/Blu-ray rollout via Giant Pictures.[11][12] The production also provided hands-on training opportunities for OC Film School students.[4][13]

Hesketh’s Pygmalion (2023) adapts George Bernard Shaw’s play and was shot in Bolivia. The film premiered at the Cinemateca Boliviana in La Paz on March 22, 2023.[5][14]

They also directed Glampire (2024), a short film blending social media critique with vampire mythology. The Port Townsend Film Institute covered the local production and festival context,[15] and the Port Townsend Leader reported on the film’s local shoot and Port Townsend Film Festival screenplay win in print coverage.[16][17] Students from Olympic College also participated in the production.[4]

In addition to directing, Hesketh has acted in several independent films, particularly in Bolivia.[9]

Academic work

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Hesketh is coordinator of the OC Film School at Olympic College, where they are a tenured faculty member.[3] They have developed curriculum and facilitated projects that provide students with hands-on production experience. Local press has documented student involvement in film productions led by Hesketh and Drane, giving undergraduates opportunities to work on professional sets.[4][18][19]

Recognition and critical reception

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Coverage in Bolivian newspapers charted the commercial exhibition of Hesketh’s features. For Olalla, La Razón announced its national opening in 2015 after reporting on the production the prior year; El Deber highlighted the film’s contemporary and period elements.[9][10][7] U.S. outlets noted the release of Rucker and its genre positioning.[11][12] Reviews in the genre press remarked on the film’s mock-documentary framing and character beats.[13][20] In January 2023, the Cinemateca Boliviana programmed Sirwiñakuy as part of a three-day cycle of 13 Bolivian films.[21] Three months later, the Cinemateca included Pygmalion in its “Maratón Tricolor” program marking the Día del Cine Boliviano.[22]

Selected filmography

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  • Sirwiñakuy (2010) – Director, writer
  • Barbazul (2012) – Director, writer
  • Olalla (2015) – Director, writer
  • Rucker (2022) – Director, co-writer
  • Pygmalion (2023) – Director
  • Glampire (2024) – Director

References

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  1. ^ "Rucker". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  2. ^ Brannigan, Paul (2022-09-21). "Watch Corey Taylor play a serial killer's best mate in new horror-thriller Rucker". Louder. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  3. ^ a b "OC Film School". Olympic College. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  4. ^ a b c d "OC film students join professors on local production". Kitsap Daily News. 2022-08-05. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  5. ^ a b c "Professor Amy Hesketh's Latest Film, Pygmalion, Premieres in Bolivia". Olympic College. 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  6. ^ a b "Filmwax Radio Interview Series: VCFA Alumnx Amy Hesketh". VCFA Storyboard. 2020-06-22. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  7. ^ a b c "Culminan el rodaje de cinta de vampiros en Bolivia" [Filming wraps on vampire film in Bolivia]. Opinión (in Spanish). 2014-07-01. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  8. ^ "Anuncian estreno de película Barbazul para 11 de octubre" ['Barbazul' film release announced for October 11]. Opinión (in Spanish). 2012-10-03. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  9. ^ a b c Soruco Ruiz, Jorge (2015-01-13). "'Olalla' es el primer filme nacional que llega en 2015" ['Olalla' is the first national film to arrive in 2015]. La Razón (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  10. ^ a b "Vampiros llegan al cine boliviano con Olalla" [Vampires arrive in Bolivian cinema with Olalla]. El Deber (in Spanish). 2014-07-04. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  11. ^ a b "See Slipknot's Corey Taylor In Trailer For New Horror Film 'Rucker'". Blabbermouth.net. 2021-12-11. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  12. ^ a b "Watch Corey Taylor play a serial killer's best mate in new horror thriller Rucker". Louder (Future plc). 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  13. ^ a b Morazzini, Jim (2022-01-11). "'Rucker' – VOD Review". Nerdly. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  14. ^ "Pygmalion (Bolivia)". Bolivia.com (in Spanish). 2023-03-23. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  15. ^ "Glampire shoot in Port Townsend". Port Townsend Film Institute. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  16. ^ "Report inspects mill stench (photo caption references Glampire)" (PDF). Port Townsend Leader. 2024-07-17. p. A1. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  17. ^ "Glampire — SHORTS: Local (PTFF 2024)". Eventive. Port Townsend Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  18. ^ Shuey, Tyler (2019-11-22). "Applying the knowledge: OC film students gain professional experience on locally shot horror film". Kitsap Daily News. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  19. ^ "Your local college, now streaming: Olympic College's elusive mascot caught on camera as an Amazon Prime TV show comes to campus". Kitsap Smokestack. 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  20. ^ "RUCKER – Reviews of serial killer thriller plus trailer and clip". Movies and Mania. 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  21. ^ "Cinemateca propone un ciclo de cine boliviano con 13 películas" [Cinematheque proposes a Bolivian film cycle with 13 movies]. Bolivia Emprende (in Spanish). 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
  22. ^ "Cinemateca desarrolla una maratón con lo mejor del cine boliviano" [Cinematheque holds a marathon with the best of Bolivian cinema]. Opinión (in Spanish). 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
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Category:American film directors Category:American women film directors Category:Goddard College alumni Category:Vermont College of Fine Arts alumni Category:Olympic College faculty Category:People from Maine Category:1979 births Category:Living people

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