Laela Kilbourn

Laela Kilbourn

(She/Her)
Director of Photography
Full Bio
Director of photography Laela Kilbourn has accomplished narrative and documentary works that present intimate portraits of character and compelling stories of transformation; her over thirty years in filmmaking inform her use of verité and studio techniques to build cinematic experiences of discovery and connection. An Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Cinematography for her work on GIRLS STATE, she won a Best Feature Cinematography Award for SWIM TEAM, and has filmed eight Sundance Film Festival premieres, such as DuPont-Columbia Journalism Award winner THIS IS HOME: A REFUGEE STORY. Her noted narrative work includes CRABS IN A BARREL, featured on HBOmax, and PARK SLOPE MOMS, winner of the NYWIFT/iWomanTV Best Dark Comedy and Audience awards. A member of the International Cinematographers Guild, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, New York Women in Film & Television, and the International Collective of Female+ Cinematographers, she has a degree in social anthropology from Harvard University.
Professional Credits
Director of Photography
GIRLS STATE (Apple Original Films)

Director of Photography CRABS IN A BARREL (HBOMax, 3 Percent Films, Fuacata Films)

Director of Photography TIPPING THE PAIN SCALE (Vivifi Films) Audience Award winner, Maui International Film Festival

Director of Photography DEATH OF A FOOL (Amazon Prime Video, Rabbit Hole Pictures, Fuacata Films)

Director of Photography THIS IS HOME: A REFUGEE STORY (Epix, Gidalya Pictures, Blumhouse), DuPont-Columbia Jourmalism Award Winner, Audience Award Winner Sundance Film Festival

Director of Photography SWIM TEAM (POV on PBS, Netflix, Argot Pictures, Woodland Park Productions), Christopher Award Winner, Best Cinematography Award Winner WIDF

Director of Photography HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO (HBO, Gidalya Pictures), Peabody Award winner

Director of Photography AMERICAN TEEN (Paramount Vantage, A&E IndieFilms)

Director of Photography WORD WARS (Discovery Times Channel, 7th Art Releasing), Emmy Award nominee

Director of Ph
Industry Awards
Emmy Award, Outstanding Cinematography for GIRLS STATE, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 2024

Best Feature Cinematography for SWIM TEAM, Wales International Documentary Festival 2017
Crew Up Survey
Willing To Travel: Yes
Has Own Equipment: Yes
Has Insurance: Yes
Other Languages: Yes
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