Maria Stanisheva

Maria Stanisheva is a film director/producer and founder of ANIMADOCS. She is a graduate of Sofia University, Central European University and New York Film Academy’s Documentary filmmaking program and has over 15 years of experience working on feature films, shorts, TV and online series. The animated-documentary FATHER which she produced in 2011 was awarded 28 times, including the Golden Dove for Animated Film at DOK Leipzig Festival. Her 2016 animated campaign “Together to End Male Guardianship” commissioned by Human Rights Watch Saudi Arabia, was seen by over 10 million people and brought factual legislative change to the country. Maria is a faculty member of the New York Film Academy’s Documentary Department and teaches classes in "Animation for Documentary Film“ in Europe and the USA. External evaluator of MEDIA, EURIMAGES and BNFC projects, pitching trainer.