Deborah S. Esquenazi

Deborah S. Esquenazi is an American documentary filmmaker, writer, radio producer, instructor, and investigative journalist. She is a native Texan and currently resides in Austin, Texas with her wife and two children. She is the acclaimed director of the award-winning documentary Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four, as well as half a dozen short films and essays. Her work focuses on the intersections of mythology & justice, and identity & power. Esquenazi is a Rockwood JustFilms Ford Foundation Fellow, Sundance Creative Producing Lab Fellow, Firelight Media Producers’ Lab Fellow (2015), IFP Spotlight on Docs (2015), Artist on two Artplace America commissions (2015), and Sundance Documentary Film Fellow (2014). After visiting the accused in prison and developing a strong connection to the story, Esquenazi set out to make the film and ultimately a difference in their lives. The original idea was to turn it into a radio piece, however it was not picked up by anyone. The story was then going to become a short film for Texas Monthly but faced challenges in funding.

The film went on to win several awards including Outstanding Documentary at the 28th GLAAD Media Awards as well as a 2017 Peabody Award.

She has also received funding from Humanities Texas, Sundance Institute, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fund, Chicken & Egg Pictures, Astraea Global Arts Fund, Paul Robeson Fund for Independent media, and several others.