Filmmaker Dianna Ippolito: The Art of Authentic Storytelling

Dianna Ippolito is an immensely talented writer, director, and producer whose passion for storytelling began through the lens of a camera. She began her career doing freelance fashion photography. Raised in Southern California within a Mexican and Italian family, her home was filled with music, culture, and films. Her father, an enthusiast of jazz and cinema, exposed her to the classics at a young age, igniting the curiosity that eventually took her to the American Film Institute and her initial screenwriting course. Nothing is more exciting for her than a project going from script to screen, and Dianna loves storytelling through imagery. She has more than ten years of experience in all creative facets of production, from the early phases of research, organizing the production, story development and casting. Moreover, her work prominently features a strong sense of resilience and empowerment, presented in a beautifully poignant way. She has since concentrated on writing and directing.

Fast-forwarding to today, Dianna has worked as a co-producer in television and has participated as a writer, director, and producer on various film projects. Her debut feature film, a psychological thriller, is named Close Your Eyes, known for its ominous atmosphere and psychological tension. In 2025, she began the year by writing and directing a comedy short titled Mafia Daddies. She also released Rodeo Sisters, which won the award for best inspirational screenplay at the Vegas Movie Awards.

Background

Dianna's work is shaped by the ’70s classics where ordinary people did extraordinary things like Norma Rae, Kramer vs. Kramer, Silkwood, and All the President’s Men.

Dianna gravitates toward stories about empowerment, coming of age, and the emotional worlds women inhabit. She’s inspired by filmmakers like Nora Ephron, Nancy Meyers, and Cameron Crowe, storytellers who know how to make you laugh, cry, and root for their characters in the same breath.

Though she’s primarily an award-winning screenwriter, Dianna moved into directing and producing to get her projects made. Her holiday film "Mistletoe Connection" is currently streaming on UpTV, and her psychological thrillers "The Obscured "and "Close Your Eyes" are available on Amazon. She’s also a recent Nicholl’s quarter-finalist and a Fade-In and Scriptapalooza winner. Right now, she’s developing several coming-of-age dramas and a handful of music-driven biopics, an ode to her lifelong love of music and the stories behind the artists.

Gemma Magazine had the thrilling chance to chat with Dianna about her sources of inspiration and influences, the narratives she finds compelling, the strong women she looks up to, and her enduring passion for storytelling. Let's dive in!

What or who drew you to become a filmmaker and pursue a career in the arts?

Honestly, I can't recall ever consciously deciding to pursue this path. I've always been captivated by storytelling. As a child, I watched countless movies and often pondered why certain scenes moved me to tears or had a profound impact on me. I instinctively understood that it was the combination of music, performances, and the story that created that effect, and I was intrigued by how it all came together. When I discovered filmmaking, it just made sense. It perfectly combined all the elements I loved: emotion, visual storytelling, and music. It never really seemed like a "career choice," you know? It was more like something that naturally unfolded, and I gravitated towards it because it felt right.

Who were your biggest influences growing up, both in film and outside of it?

As I grew up, I was influenced by filmmakers such as Sydney Pollack, Alan J. Pakula, and Nora Ephron, who had a deep understanding of suspense, character, and poignancy. These directors continue to inspire my work and represent the standard I strive to meet. Beyond film, I've always been inspired by strong, complex women like Jane Fonda and Sally Field, who weren't afraid to be messy and genuine. They demonstrated that one could be both vulnerable and powerful simultaneously, which felt revolutionary to me as a child. I admired watching women with depth and contradictions, who didn't fit into tidy categories. This authenticity, both in the stories being told and those telling them, influenced my perspective on character and what makes someone compelling on screen.

Can you share the story behind your first significant project?

My first significant project came from a mix of determination and sheer stubbornness. I was primarily a writer at the time, but I decided to direct a short film called The Disembodied because I wanted it to get made—and I didn't want to wait around for someone else to come along and do it. I had the vision, and I knew that over time I could learn how to direct.

I wanted to prove to myself more than anyone that I could actually do this. I didn't wait for permission or the "perfect moment." I learned by doing, made mistakes, figured things out on the fly, and discovered that momentum is everything. That project taught me that confidence often comes after you jump, not before.

"I care deeply about performance and the "look" of my films. Everything from production design to the editing style is something I put a lot of thought into. It all has to work together to tell the story in the way I have envisioned it. My style has definitely evolved over the years, mostly in terms of confidence." Dianna Ippolito

What inspires your storytelling? Are there particular themes or experiences that you find yourself drawn to?

I'm always drawn to stories about identity, secrets, and emotional truth—like, what are people hiding versus who they really are? I love exploring relationships, especially family dynamics and the bonds between women.

Growing up, I was obsessed with films like Norma Rae, Peggy Sue Got Married, Silkwood, and Tootsie, all for totally different reasons, but they all had this thing where characters were wrestling with who they were supposed to be versus who they actually were. Norma Rae had that working-class grit and this woman finding her voice. Peggy Sue was about getting a second chance to see your life differently. Silkwood showed someone risking everything for the truth. And Tootsie was this brilliant exploration of identity and empathy wrapped in comedy. There's usually an undercurrent of resilience in my work, even when the story gets dark. I'm interested in how people survive, adapt, and find strength in unexpected ways -- not in some heroic, movie-of-the-week kind of way, but in the messy, complicated, real way that people actually do it.

Can you walk us through your process of developing a film idea from concept to script?

It usually starts with just the germ of an idea, a feeling or thought that won't leave me alone. I'll simmer on it for a while, asking myself what the story is, or what it wants to be. Is it a story of sisterhood? A story about friendship? About someone rising up? From there, I focus heavily on character -- who this person is, what they want versus what they need, and what's standing in their way. Once I really understand that, the plot starts to reveal itself. I'm very instinct-driven in the early stages, just kind of feeling my way through it. Then I switch into problem-solving mode, tightening structure, raising stakes, making sure every scene earns its place. I write lean, and I usually get to a solid draft after about five or six polishes. By then, the story's found its shape.

How do you approach collaboration with writers, cinematographers, and actors? What qualities do you look for in your collaborators?

Collaboration is everything to me. I'm a screenwriter primarily, but I often co-write, and I love it. I look for people who share my sense of humor and love the same kinds of movies I do. That helps so much because if we can use the same references, the storytelling becomes way easier. We're already speaking the same language.

I've written with three women friends over the years, and I love sharing the load. My holiday film Mistletoe Connection was co-written with a friend, Marie Jones, who I've collaborated with on several other scripts. We were overjoyed by the whole script-to-screen process on that one.

What I look for in collaborators are people who are passionate, prepared, and open. People who bring ideas to the table but aren't precious about them. I want collaborators who care deeply about the story and the audience. Trust and communication are huge for me. When everyone feels safe to contribute and challenge each other, the work always gets better.

 How would you describe your directorial style? Has it evolved over the years?

I care deeply about performance and the "look" of my films. Everything from production design to the editing style is something I put a lot of thought into. It all has to work together to tell the story in the way I have envisioned it. My style has definitely evolved over the years, mostly in terms of confidence. Early on, I was less sure of myself…how to talk to actors, how to command a set, all of that. But with experience and finding the right crew, I got more comfortable in my own skin. I trust my instincts more now and let my gut be my guide. I've learned that when you show up with clarity and confidence, it creates the best environment for everyone else to do their most creative work. The crew feels it, the actors feel it, and it shows up on screen.

Out of all the projects you have worked on, which one holds the most significance for you and why?

Honestly, each project has been meaningful for different reasons, but the one that resonates most is the psychological thriller I directed. I got to use a lot of my experience as a photographer in that one. It really showed up in my set choices, the color palette, and all these little nods to films that influenced me over the years. That project felt like a milestone because it reflected my growth as a director, not just professionally, but creatively and emotionally. It was the first time I felt like I was really making something that was undeniably mine.

What do you believe sets your work apart in today’s film landscape?

I work across a lot of genres, comedies, dramas, biopics, and holiday films, but no matter what I’m writing or directing, I try to hold onto what I loved about the movies I grew up watching: heart. I always lead with relatable characters and emotional connection. There’s a sense of warmth and nostalgia in my work, even when the subject matter is challenging. I want audiences to feel seen and to recognize pieces of their own lives on screen. I believe stories that center resilience, love, and loss are timeless, and that’s what I strive to create.

What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers trying to break into the business?

Don't wait for anybody. Just make things. Learn by doing, even if it's messy at first. Be persistent, even when it feels discouraging. Relationships matter just as much as talent, so be kind, be professional, and be someone people actually want to work with. Most importantly, trust your voice. No one else can tell stories the way you do, and that's your biggest asset.

Lastly, please tell us about The Obscured and Close Your Eyes.

The Obscured was inspired by The Morning After with Jane Fonda, an amazing thriller where she wakes up next to a dead body and has no idea if she killed him. In my version, a bipolar woman wakes up after a blackout next to her bloodied lover, and she has no clue what happened. So she calls her ex-boyfriend for help, and the whole thing spirals from there. It's really about perception and what you do when you think your life is on the line -- how far you'll go to protect yourself when you're not even sure what the truth is.

Close Your Eyes is a thriller inspired by The Birds and Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." A group of people get stranded in a cabin together when birds start attacking the world outside, and you watch them all slowly go mad being cooped up together. It's claustrophobic and tense, and it's less about the external threat and more about what happens when people are trapped with their own paranoia and secrets. Both films let me explore psychological tension in really different ways.

Dianna's upcoming project is a thriller inspired by real events, set in India, which she plans to finish by mid-2026. Additionally, Dianna's screenplay for The Two of Us was chosen for the LGBTQ+ Los Angeles Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival! The story is captivating, and Dianna is eager to secure funding for it. It's a remarkable and thrilling way to kick off the New Year.

All the magic unfolds under It's All Happening Films and My Fair Dude LLC.

To keep up with Dianna and her filmwork, follow her on the following platforms:

https://www.instagram.com/itsallhappeningfilms/

https://www.facebook.com/dianna.ippolito