Lisa Hepner is a Canadian-American writer and documentary filmmaker. She is best known for directing the documentary features, The Human Trial and Women on the Frontlines.
Career Lisa graduated from Victoria College at the University of Toronto in 1993. She began her career as a journalist in Canada, but turned her writing into producing non-fiction projects when she moved to New York City. From 1995 to 2011, she produced documentaries for the CBC, PBS, HBO, MTV, Sony Pictures Classics, working alongside directors, Michael Apted, Jonathan Demme, and Lisa F. Jackson, among others.
In 2004, Lisa co-directed the documentary feature, Women on the Frontlines, that premiered at the United Nations in New York and aired on PBS. Soon after, Lisa and her cinematographer husband Guy Mossman started Vox Pop Films, a production company in Tribeca. In 2009, the couple moved to Los Angeles where Vox Pop focused on branded content and commercials.
In 2022, Lisa directed her first documentary feature, The Human Trial. The film follows a radical stem cell treatment that might be the cure for type 1 diabetes. Since the film's release, it has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, The National News and Forbes, as well as the CBC and the Toronto Star. The film was nominated for a Humanitas Prize in 2023.
In 2024, Lisa executive produced SPEAK. a feature documentary that premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The film was awarded the Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights at the Full Frame Documentary Festival in 2025.
When Lisa isn't consulting on films, she works as an adjunct professor at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. She is a member of the Producers Guild of America, New York Women in Film & Television, the Writers Guild of America, and Roco Voices, a speaker's platform for documentary filmmakers.
Filmography YearTitle Contribution Note 2025 Speak. Executive producer Documentary 2022 The Human Trial Director, writer and producer Documentary 2011 Dreamland Field producer Documentary 2011 Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope Field producer Documentary 2011 Buck Field Director Documentary 2010 Native Century Line producer 1 Episode 2009 The Winemakers Field producer TV Series 2008 The Making of 'Across the Universe''' | Field producer | Documentary |- || 2008 | Pressure Cooker| Post Producer | Documentary |- || 2007 | Man from Plains| Post-production supervisor | Documentary |- || 2007 | Right to Return: New Home Movies from the Lower 9th Ward| Executive Producer | TV Series |- || 2006 | Exposé: America's Investigative Reports| Coordinating producer | 12 Episodes |- || 2006 | Texas Ranch House| Story Producer | 8 Episodes |- || 2005 | Operation Homecoming| Field producer | TV Series |- || 2004 | Women on the Frontlines| Director and producer | Documentary |- || 2003 | Naked World: America Undercover| Producer | Documentary |- || 2003 | Married in America| Associate producer | Documentary |- || 2000 | Face to Face: The Schappell Twins| Associate producer | Documentary |- || 2000 | Life Afterlife| Co-producer | Documentary |- || 2000 | Intimate Portrait : Cokie Roberts| Field producer | 1 Episode |- ||1998-2000 |True Life| Producer | 2 Episodes |- || 1998 | Molly O'Neill's New York: A Taste of the City| Co-producer | Documentary |- || 1996 | Travels with Mom'' Producer 1 Episode
Awards and nominations YearResultAwardCategoryWorkRef.2025 WonKathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights Documentary Feature SPEAK.2023 NominatedHumanitas PrizeBest DocumentaryThe Human Trial WonBrussels International Film FestivalBest Documentary2022 WonMumbai International Film FestivalBest Documentary Feature WonCine Paris Film FestivalBest Documentary Feature WonFilmocracy FestBest Documentary Feature WonRaw Science Film FestivalRaw Breakthrough Award in Science Communication2014 NominatedClio AwardsLong FormThe Comeback Initiative2004 WonGolden Eagle Cine AwardProfessional Telecast Non-Fiction DivisionWomen on the Frontlines
References
External links