Weird Sisters Films
Originated in 1997 as a theatre company devoted to producing new works by women, our theatrical endeavors utilized a cinematic style that warranted a natural progression into film. As filmmakers, it is our aim to promote women artists, present thought-provoking ideas and break down barriers while interpreting the magic and mystery of the human condition.
ABIGAIL ZEALEY BESS
President / Founding Member
Abigail Zealey Bess, is an award-winning filmmaker, theatre director and educator. She has been directing theatre and film for over 35 years, specializing in new work since she arrived on these shores from London and established her film company, Weird Sisters, which began as a theatrical entity over 25 years ago.
Under the auspices of her company she has developed numerous projects in collaboration with many writers both established and newly emerging on the New York scene.
Her debut film, the award-winning baseball trilogy: Play Ball! (Fanfare for A Common Man, Random Acts of Intimacy, Caught in Time) screened throughout the globe including the Berlin Film Festival, Cannes Director Fortnight, and at over 40 festivals internationally. Recent projects include award-winning films Mary and Louise, Icarus Stops For Breakfast @IcarusBreakfast which won over 30 Best Film Awards on the 2020/21 International film festival circuit. Currently she is editing her latest film The Lion starring Judith Roberts whose numerous credits include Beautiful Girl across the Hall in Lynch’s Eraserhead.
As a long-standing member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre based in New York, one of the leading developmental theatres of new plays in the USA, she has directed and produced numerous new works home and abroad. NY Theatres where she has worked include The Foundry Theatre, Ohio Theatre, Soho Repertory Theatre, Abingdon Theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, Here, Cort Theatre, Broadway, and internationally the Edinburgh Festival, the Young Vic, the Strand Theatre, London.
Recent Theatre Credits: Bonkers in the Boroughs by Joy Behar ‘23, One woman shows - I came back for Molly by Molly Carden ‘23,24 Elephant Woman by Megan Metrikan ’23 The Radicalization of Rolfe, Award-winning NY Fringe Winner by Andy Burgh at the Players Theatre, the Soho Playhouse’16, Paper Doll by Susan Eve Haar at the Edinburgh Fringe’17, Leviticus, Edinburgh Fringe ‘18 with Sawyer Spielberg’s Theatre Company, WATG, Spring Awakening, the Musical at NJ Shakespeare Theatre and Saugerties by SEH with Chad L. Coleman and Beau Garret at Hudson Guild Th in LA 2019 which is currently planning a London transfer in 2025.
She continues to head Weird Sisters developing feature film projects and theatrical ventures in NY, Regionally and in Europe devoted to the promotion of prolific women artists and writers giving voice to new thought-provoking work.
She is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre, Cinefemme, SDC, Actors Studio PDU, NYWIFT.
She teaches on the Faculty for the Graduate Film Program at Tisch School of the Arts, NYU, Columbia University.
Representation: Linda Weaver at Access Talent and Red Letter Management
Instagram: @azbess, @thelionshortfilm
