| Odessa Rae | |
| Birth Place: | Calgary, Canada |
| Alma Mater: | University of Toronto |
| Occupation: | Film producer, Actor |
| Employer: | RaeFilm Studios |
| Known For: | Producer of Navalny |
| Awards: | Academy Award for Best Documentary Bafta Award for Best Documentary Producers Guild of America Award for Best Documentary Cinema Eye Honors Alfred I. duPont - Columbia Award |
Odessa Rae is an Academy Award and BAFTA Award winning film producer and actor, known for originating and producing the documentary Navalny, which won the Best Documentary Feature at the 95th Academy Awards and Best Documentary at the 76th BAFTA Awards.[1] [2] She was key in the formation of Ivanhoe Pictures, which produced Crazy Rich Asians. She has acted in multiple feature films and TV episodes, including Hard Candy, Smallville, and Movie 43.
Rae’s films have been shown at festivals around the world, in 2024 she premiered Josh Mond's It Doesn't Matter at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival starring Christopher Abbott and Jay Will. She also recently produced Ibrahim Nashat'sHollywoodgate (Venice Film Festival world premiere) and Karim Amer’s Defiant (Toronto International Film Festival Premiere).[3] [4]
Odessa has received multiple honors including the Producers Guild of America Award, DuPont Columbia, Greirson Award, Cinema Eye, Critics Choice Awards In addition the Audience Award in the US Documentary competition and the Festival Favorite Award at Sundance Film Festival. She is the recipient of the 2023 UN Sustainable Goals Impact Through Film Award.
Rae's early life was spent between North America, Asia and India. She studied International Relations at University of Toronto,[5] is fluent in Japanese and conversationally fluent in several other languages. She began her film career in Japan. Widely known through appearances in commercials with Brad Pitt,[6] From there she went on to co-write, produce and star in her first feature film, Jenifa.[7]
She was key in the formation of Ivanhoe Pictures, which produced the box office hit, Crazy Rich Asians.[8] In January 2017, Rae signed a first-look development deal with the company.[9]
In 2021, Rae launched RaeFilm Studios, focusing on the development and production of non-fiction content.[10]
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Navalny | Daniel Roher | Winner, Best Documentary at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA)Winner, Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards Sundance Film Festival 2022 Audience Award Sundance Film Festival Festival Favorite Award Cinema Eye Honors |
| 2022 | The Story Won't Die | David Henry Gerson | Official Selection Hot Docs Canadian Int. Documentary Film Festival |
| 2023 | Hollywoodgate | Ibrahim Nash’at | Official Selection Venice Film FestivalOfficial Selection Telluride Film Festival Winner, Grand Jury Award Full Frame Documentary Film FestivalWinner, The Golden Eye Zurich Film FestivalWinner, El Gouna Gold Star for Documentary Film El Gouna Film FestivalWinner, The Mayor of Gdynia Award Docs Against GravityWinner, Special Mention for Best Documentary Luxembourg Film Festival |
| 2023 | Defiant | Karim Amer | |
| 2024 | It Doesn't Matter | Josh Mond | Official Selection 77th Annual Cannes Film Festival |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Chosen Family | Frances | |
| 2018 | Half Magic | Roxy | |
| 2017 | Hangman | TV Reporter | |
| 2015 | Always Worthy | TV Reporter | |
| 2014 | Asthma | Bathing Wings | |
| 2013 | Movie 43 | Danita | |
| 2012 | The Visit | Diana Short | |
| Gabe the Cupid Dog | Carissa | ||
| Rizzoli & Isles | Yoga Instructor | TV series | |
| 2011 | Man Without a Head | Venula | |
| My Dog's Christmas Miracle | Crystal | ||
| 2010 | Rules of Engagement | Gretchen | TV series |
| Smallville | Maggie McDougal/Silver Banshee | TV series | |
| Leverage | Cora McRory | TV series | |
| Let the Game Begin | Patient Patient | TV series |