Isabela Zawistowska is an award-winning director, cinematographer, and documentary filmmaker crafting human stories rooted in place, ecology, and lived experience.
Working at the intersection of intimacy and scale, she is experienced in remote and outdoor environments, leading small, nimble crews and building trust-based relationships with the communities she films. Based in Ojai, California and working internationally, Isabela creates visually evocative, deeply felt films—ranging from docu-series collaborations with producers of Chimp Crazy (HBO Max) and Kiss the Ground to independently produced and branded short films.
Selected Works — Documentary
Feature Documentary
Client: Honnold Foundation
Location: Veracruz, Mexico
Role: Director & Producer
Short Documentary
Client: Earthrise Studio
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Role: Director & Producer
Selected Works — Branded Storytelling
Aurelia Amber — Spring Campaign Film
Super 8 brand film
Creative Direction & Direction: Isabela Zawistowska
Short Documentary
Client: REI
Location: Los Angeles, California
Role: Additional Cinematography (Ronin)
Collaborated with
Vogue
Netflix
Cotopaxi
Patagonia
Honnold Foundation
Earthrise Studio
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Companion of the Setting Sun — Fiscal Sponsorship
Film Independent
PhotoVogue Global Open Call — Shortlisted Artist (Top 150)
PhotoVogue, 2025
Mountainfilm Micro Grant
Mountainfilm Festival, 2025
Mother Nature — Selected Storytelling Pitch
Earthrise Studio
PRESS
KOAT Albuquerque — Across Together
ShoutoutLA — Meet Isabela Zawistowska
Canary Media — Featured imagery (Puerto Rico’s first community-led microgrid)
SIGMA Photo — People, Power, and the Sun