Marie-Françoise Theodore

Marie-Françoise Theodore is a versatile artist of Haitian heritage, excelling in film, television, and theatre as a writer, actor, and filmmaker. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, she now resides in Los Angeles, California, where she raises her son, Aaron. Her impressive career has garnered significant recognition, including the 2006 Women In Film/General Motors Acceleration Grant for Emerging Filmmakers, and she was honored as a Film Independent Fellow through the Project: Involve program, benefiting from the mentorship of acclaimed director Neema Barnett.

In 2007, Marie-Françoise was awarded the Frances E. Williams Artist Grant for Writing, which enabled her to participate in Natalie Goldberg's memoir writing retreat, 'Old Friend, Far Away,' in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her debut feature-length screenplay, *The Street,* adapted from Ann Petry's celebrated novel, has achieved finalist status in several esteemed competitions, such as the Bush Foundation Fellowship and Tribeca All Access Connects, and she has been shortlisted for the Sundance Screenwriter Labs for three consecutive years.

Marie-Françoise has directed and starred in two acclaimed experimental short films, *rebel in the soul* and *bloodmemory*, with *rebel in the soul* winning Best Experimental Short at the 2003 Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival in New York. She has also appeared in notable films including *Strange As Angels* (where she served as Associate Producer), *Love Jones*, and *Small Metal Jacket*. Holding an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts from Columbia College in Chicago, she is currently penning her memoir, *Not A Proper Haitian Girl*, which reflects on her Chicago upbringing in the 1970s and delves into the intricate dynamics of her foster and biological families, as well as her journey of self-discovery.