Meet Olivia Newman, a talented writer/director and expert in the world of financing films. Olivia’s debut feature film, “First Match,” is a Netflix Original film now streaming on the platform. The film premiered at the 2018 SXSW festival where it won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature Film in Competition and the LUNA Gamechanger Award for Best Female Director of a first feature. Set in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood, “First Match” follows the story of fifteen-year-old Monique as she tries to reconnect with her estranged father by joining the boys’ wrestling team.
Olivia is an alum of the Sundance Directors and Screenwriters Labs, the Sundance FilmTwo Intensive, and the recipient of several awards and grants such as the IFP/Durga Foundation Filmmaker Award, the Adrienne Shelly Foundation filmmaker grant, and the Maryland Filmmakers fellowship. She has received funding from well-known organizations such as the Sundance Institute, HBO, the Tribeca Film Institute, the San Francisco Film Society, and The Caucus Foundation, as well as support from IFP and Film Independent. Olivia’s short films have been screened at numerous international festivals including the New York Film Festival and Palm Springs International Shorts. Olivia Newman is a well-rounded individual with a strong educational background, having earned a BA in French and Women’s Studies from Vassar College and an MFA in Film from Columbia University. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge and insights on the film industry, and has a particular interest in finance. Based in Los Angeles with her family, Olivia uses her platform to educate and inform readers through engaging and informative articles. Join her as she takes you on a journey through the exciting world of film and finance.