Posted by Independent Shorts Awards is delighted to announce that producer, writer, director, and film educator Susie Landau Finch will join the Industry Panel as a guest speaker at the 8th Annual Independent Shorts Awards on September 19, 2026, at Regal LA Live in Los Angeles.
With a career encompassing studio productions, independent films, literary adaptations, theater, career development, and film education, Landau Finch brings an unusually wide-ranging perspective to the conversation, which will take place from 4:45 PM to 6:00 PM in Cinema 10.
About Susie Landau Finch
Based in Los Angeles, Susie Landau Finch is a producer, writer, and director with an extensive background in film and theater production. She has worked across numerous areas of filmmaking for American Zoetrope under the aegis of Francis Ford Coppola’s Los Angeles and San Francisco studios, in addition to collaborating with a variety of other production companies and independent filmmakers.
Most recently, she served as an executive producer of Fairyland, adapted from Alysia Abbott’s acclaimed memoir and produced by Sofia Coppola and American Zoetrope. The film, directed by Andrew Durham, stars Emilia Jones, Scoot McNairy, Geena Davis, Cody Fern, Maria Bakalova, and Adam Lambert.
Her producing credits include Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Spirit of ’76, Traveling Light, and the independent feature Wake, starring Gale Harold and her late father, Academy Award-winning actor Martin Landau.
Wake received a PRISM Commendation for its accurate portrayal of substance use and addiction. She is currently producing a documentary.
Landau Finch has a particular passion for adapting books and plays for the screen. She adapted the feature screenplay The Doctor’s Wife from the novel of the same name and directed the short film Stick and Poke, starring Scarlett Byrne and Bridger Zadina.
She also co-wrote Sweet Surrender with Andy Khaitan and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Roland Joffé. The upcoming film is set to be directed by Joffé in India and Malta, with Landau Finch also serving as one of its producers.
Throughout her career, Landau Finch has remained committed to viable, maverick projects built around scripts of exceptional literary quality. She previously served as U.S. president of Vision Picture Co., an Australian film company, and has consulted for the Annenberg Foundation, Center Theatre Group, and Magnolia Mae Films. Her professional experience also includes work with Lucasfilm, Commercial Pictures, Palomar Pictures, and Castle Rock Entertainment.
Alongside her filmmaking career, Landau Finch joined Joseph Rosenberg as Co-Director of Career and Industry Relations at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Since 2013, she has also taught acting for non-actors and writing for the screen, helping emerging filmmakers strengthen their creative voices while developing a clearer understanding of the professional film industry.
Her commitment extends beyond filmmaking and education. She was appointed by the Mayor of Los Angeles to serve as a board member of the Melrose Hill Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, contributing to the preservation of one of the city’s historically significant neighborhoods.
Attendees at the 8th Annual Independent Shorts Awards will have the opportunity to hear Susie Landau Finch share insights drawn from decades of experience in development, production, adaptation, and film education. From working within the creative environment of American Zoetrope to championing independent productions and preparing emerging filmmakers for the industry, she brings an invaluable perspective on turning ambitious, story-driven projects into reality.
Representing Satomi as Co-Producer
Landau Finch is also one of the three producers of Satomi, directed by Rayner Wang. which will screen earlier in the day in Program 9: Beyond Reality — Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Other Stories, from 11:00 AM to 12:45 PM in Cinema 10. The short film has been presented at Tribeca Festival, HollyShorts, Indie Short Fest, and numerous other festivals before joining the 2026 Annual Awards program at Independent Shorts Awards.
Blending live action and animation, Satomi follows Mayumi, a talented young performer whose crippling stage fright threatens her ambitions. Following a disastrous talent-show audition, an unexpected encounter with her favorite star—a living anime character—takes her on an enchanting journey toward finding her confidence.
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