Jeff Malmberg

Jeff Malmberg is a documentary director and editor based in Los Angeles. He is currently working on Teatro (working title), the tale of a small farming town that confronts its community issues by turning them into a play. Filmed in Italy, the documentary weaves vérité footage of the town’s unique process with forty-six years of footage and photographs from its past.

His previous film, Marwencol, has won over twenty-five international awards, including two Independent Spirit Awards, Best Documentary of the Year from the Boston Society of Film Critics, and the Grand Jury prize for Best Documentary at the SXSW Film Festival.

Malmberg’s projects seek to step outside the boundaries of traditional documentary and invite audiences to take on the role of participant and subjective confidant. The intent is to explore social issues in their natural context—through people, thought, and experience.

Malmberg studied film production at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, where he continues to guest lecture. After graduating, he worked as an apprentice editor to experimental filmmaker Nina Menkes, director Gregg Araki, and Academy Award–winning editor Angus Wall.

Jeff was honored with the Jacqueline Donnet Award from the International Documentary Association, Best New Filmmaker from the Boston Society of Film Critics, the HBO Documentary Films Emerging Artist Award at Hot Docs, and the Cinematic Vision Award from Silverdocs. He has previously received grants from the Tribeca Film Institute and Film Independent.

He works with his wife and partner, Chris Shellen, through their production company, Open Face.