James N. Kienitz Wilkins

James N. Kienitz Wilkins is an American filmmaker, artist, and writer based in Brooklyn, New York. He is best known for his films Public Hearing, Common Carrier (2019), Still Film (2023) and The Misconceived (2026). He is assistant professor of Screen Studies at Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, The New School.

Life and career Kienitz Wilkins graduated from The Cooper Union School of Art, where he made early short films including Springtime (2007) and Nature Mature (2007). His debut feature documentary, Public Hearing (2012), premiered at CPH:DOX. His works have screened at the Berlin International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, New York Film Festival, and International Film Festival Rotterdam.

Kienitz Wilkins's most recent feature, The Misconceived (2026), had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

Selected filmography 2012: Public Hearing 2017: Common Carrier 2017: The Republic 2019: The Plagiarists 2023: Still Film 2026: The Misconceived

Awards and nominations YearResultAwardCategoryWorkRef.2012 NominatedCPH:DOXNew Vision AwardPublic Hearing 2016 NominatedInternational Film Festival RotterdamTiger Award for Short FilmB-ROLL with Andre 2019 WonTacoma Film FestivalBest ScreenplayThe Plagiarists