Rachel McDonald
Rachel McDonald is an award-winning director and writer whose work spans narrative film, documentary, music videos, and commercials. Raised in a small coastal town in Mississippi, her storytelling is shaped by the poetic tension of the Deep South, often centering on characters with layered emotional truths. Her debut short Thirst, starring Melanie Griffith, premiered at Locarno, and her short doc Dancing Warrior, about a Lakota youth horse racing team, premiered at the 2024 Mountainfilm Festival. Her latest narrative short, Hermanos, has earned top honors at festivals including Ciclope and the Houston Latino Film Festival. A sought-after commercial director, Rachel has helmed campaigns for BMW, Peloton, Gatorade, and Microsoft, with recognition from Cannes Lions, Ciclope, The One Show, and others. She currently lives in Ojai, California.
