VISION.
CRAFT.
LEADERSHIP.
Princess Monique Filmz is a television and film director whose work lives at the intersection of performance, purpose, emotional truth, and impact.
A NOTE FROM PRINCESS
“I know what it feels like to have the vision before anybody else can see it. I know what it feels like to wait, wonder, reinvent, and keep moving anyway. That’s why everything I build, whether it’s a television episode, a workshop, a book, a conversation, or a mastermind, is rooted in helping people see what’s already in them and do something with it.”
Princess Monique Filmz
“
From Cleveland to
Hollywood.
Growing up in Cleveland, Princess Monique Filmz had a vision before she had a path. As a little girl, she knew television would be part of her future. She could see herself in that world long before she knew how to enter it.
Modeling and acting opened the first doors. Filmmaking gave her a way to shape the story. She built her experience through independent films, music videos and digital storytelling, learning to turn an idea into something an audience could feel. Each opportunity became preparation for the next.
She took that preparation seriously. Business studies, cinema production and editing training gave her a foundation. Years of shadowing directors and building relationships taught her what a classroom could not: how to lead a set, protect a performance and bring people together around a vision.
The Disney/ABC Directing Program helped carry that preparation into episodic television. Princess became a DGA director whose work spans comedy and drama, network television and streaming. Her place in the director’s chair was built through craft, resilience and the willingness to create opportunities instead of waiting for permission.
As her career grew, so did her sense of responsibility. Through Hood to Hollywood, Real Black Unicorns and mentorship, she began turning what she had learned into access, education and opportunity for others. The goal was bigger than her own next credit. It was to help other people recognize their gifts and take the next step.
She didn’t wait for the orange brick road. She laid it herself, one brick at a time.
Even as a little girl, Princess Monique dreamed beyond the boundaries of her neighborhood.
Cleveland Roots. Hollywood Reach.
CLEVELAND ROOTS
A vision before the map. A childhood shaped by faith, grit and imagination.
THE CRAFT
Modeling and acting opened the first doors. Then came stories of her own, education, shadowing and real-world experience. Preparation before opportunity.
DIRECTOR'S CHAIR
From independent projects to episodic television across comedy and drama.
INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP
Mentoring emerging directors and helping open doors for those coming next.
BUILDING BIGGER
Hood to Hollywood, Real Black Unicorns and a future built beyond herself.
HOLLYWOOD REACH
From a Cleveland neighborhood to network television and streaming, with the road still extending forward.
She didn’t wait for the orange brick road. She laid it herself, one brick at a time.
WHAT SHAPED ME
What Shaped Me. What I Stand For.
VISION
Story with purpose.
Princess looks for the emotional engine inside the material and shapes the world around what the audience should feel, remember, and carry with them after the credits roll.
CRAFT
Prepared for the magic.
Princess arrives with a blueprint, with tone, blocking, and coverage mapped before call time. Then she builds in collaboration with the crew and department heads. That preparation gives everyone the freedom to bring their ideas, instincts, and expertise together to create what Princess affectionately calls “the magic.”
LEADERSHIP
Lead the room well.
Princess sets a calm, decisive pace. She keeps every department aligned, makes the day, and serves the script, the cast, and the crew at the same time.
DGA LEADERSHIP
DGA African American Steering Committee Co-Chairs Gina Prince-Bythewood, Princess Monique and Jeffrey W. Byrd speak about the Committee’s mission at the DGA. Photo: Howard Wise / DGA
MORE DGA LEADERSHIP PHOTOS
INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP
Leading inside the Guild.
DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA
DGA Director
AFRICAN AMERICAN STEERING COMMITTEE
Former Co-Chair, serving alongside Gina Prince-Bythewood and Jeffrey W. Byrd
MENTOR / INDUSTRY LEADER
Mentoring emerging directors and storytellers
Her leadership continues through mentorship and a steady commitment to widening the path for Black directors and emerging filmmakers.
REAL BLACK UNICORNS
Opening doors for the next generation.
Through Real Black Unicorns, Princess mentors and builds community for Black women directors and storytellers of color, turning her own path into access for the filmmakers coming next.
Leadership, Legacy & Giving Back.
Leading Inside the Guild
A Directors Guild of America director and former Co-Chair of the DGA African American Steering Committee, serving alongside Gina Prince-Bythewood and Jeffrey W. Byrd.
Mentoring emerging directors and widening the path for Black filmmakers.
Mentoring the next generation on set.
REAL BLACK UNICORNS
Opening the door for the next generation.
THE MISSION
African American female directors do exist.
Princess Monique founded Real Black Unicorns, a nonprofit that bridges the gap between studios and hirable African American female directors through education, access, mentorship and visibility.
“I founded Real Black Unicorns because I understand what it means to walk a path that few people around you have traveled. I believe that when we reach back to help someone else move forward, we strengthen the path for all of us.”
Princess Monique Filmz, Founder
MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION ON SET.
Real Black Unicorns is the nonprofit Princess founded to bridge the gap between studios and hirable African American female directors through education, access, mentorship and visibility.
“I founded Real Black Unicorns because I understand what it means to walk a path that few people around you have traveled. I believe that when we reach back to help someone else move forward, we strengthen the path for all of us.”
PRINCESS MONIQUE FILMZ, FOUNDER
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Kent State University
B.B.A., Business Administration
Los Angeles City College
Cinema Production, top of her class
UCLA
Apple-certified Final Cut Pro editing
Walt Disney Television
Disney/ABC Directing Program
Directors Guild of America
AASC + WSC director programs
Education, Training & Recognition.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Kent State University
B.B.A., Business Administration
Los Angeles City College
Cinema Production, top of her class
UCLA
Apple-certified Final Cut Pro editing
Disney/ABC
Directing Program
Directors Guild of America
AASC + WSC director programs
RECOGNITION
Melvin Van Peebles Award
The Call • San Francisco Black Film Festival
Best Director, Best Short and Best Overall Film
Outstanding Directing, Comedy Series
2021 Black Reel Awards for Television nominee
black-ish, “My Dinner With Andre Junior”
Webby Award-Winning Project
The Impact of Black Panther
Digital docuseries directed by Princess Monique Filmz
Trailblazer Award
African American Women in Cinema
Seasons of Love
New York City Proclamation
Recognition for her directorial debut, Seasons of Love
Hometown Recognition
October 24 • Warrensville Heights, Ohio
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Recognized for the work.
San Francisco
BLACK FILM FESTIVAL
WITH MARIO VAN PEEBLES
THE CALL • SAN FRANCISCO BLACK FILM FESTIVAL
The Melvin Van Peebles Award.
BEST DIRECTOR • BEST SHORT • MELVIN VAN PEEBLES AWARD / BEST OVERALL FILM
Mario Van Peebles presented the Melvin Van Peebles Award to Princess Monique Filmz at the San Francisco Black Film Festival. Her first film, The Call, took the festival’s top honor for best overall film, along with best director and first place for best short.
It became an important confirmation for Princess: the calling was real, and directing was the path to keep pursuing.
SEASONS OF LOVE • AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN CINEMA
Trailblazer Award.
Princess directed Seasons of Love, a Lifetime original movie that opened the 17th African American Women in Cinema Film Festival in New York as its opening night premiere. African American Women in Cinema later honored her with its Trailblazer Award.
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THE 10-10-10 PROGRAM • 2024
Transformative Journey for Self-Discovery Award.
The 10-10-10 Program honored Princess Monique Filmz as an award-winning author, recognizing a journey of self-discovery that now guides others from waiting to creating.
TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY FOR SELF-DISCOVERY AWARD
NEW YORK CITY PROCLAMATION
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
New York City Proclamation.
The Council of the City of New York honored Princess with an official proclamation, in recognition connected to her directorial debut, Seasons of Love.
NOMINEE • 2021 BLACK REEL AWARDS FOR TELEVISION
black-ish • “My Dinner With Andre Junior”
CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
First Place
Best Film
HONORABLE MENTIONSHollywood Black Film Festival · New York AIDS Film Festival · Pan African Film Festival
HOMETOWN RECOGNITION
Princess Monique Day
WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, OHIO • OCTOBER 24
The City of Warrensville Heights declared October 24 Princess Monique Day, honoring her as a role model and a positive example of what the city stands for.
African American
WOMEN IN CINEMA
DOVE & LET'S GET HYPE
Role Model & Mentor of the Year
DENVER PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL
Best Director
Best Film
Denver Pan African
FILM FESTIVAL
Honors from the festivals and organizations that champion independent and Black cinema.
The Webby
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AWARDS
WEBBY AWARD-WINNING PROJECT
The Impact of Black Panther
Directed by Princess Monique Filmz • Digital docuseries celebrating the cultural impact of Marvel’s Black Panther
SAN FRANCISCO BLACK FILM FESTIVAL
Best Director
Best Film
Melvin Van Peebles Award
New York AIDS
FILM FESTIVAL
AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN CINEMA
Best Film
First Place
LEARNING FROM THE GREATS
Directors who shaped the journey.
Across more than two decades in entertainment, Princess has intentionally learned from, observed, worked alongside and been influenced by accomplished filmmakers whose leadership and craft helped shape her own approach to directing. They include mentors, directors she shadowed on set, filmmakers she studied, colleagues and professional influences.
Bill Duke
Robert Townsend
Chip Fields
Ernest Dickerson
Mary Lou Belli
Debbie Allen
Jeff Byrd
Charles Stone III
Carl Seaton
Eric Dean Seaton
Millicent Shelton
Gina Prince-Bythewood
Pamela Fryman
Salli Richardson-Whitfield
Darren Grant
Allan Kroeker
Keenen Ivory Wayans
Michael Spiller
Michael Goi
Crystle C. Roberson
Erma Elzy-Jones
Anthony Hemingway
Rob Hardy
“Having personally witnessed Princess’s journey, it is no surprise to me her passage into excelling in her purpose. Keep sharing your story, light, and talents.”
BILL DUKE
Director, actor and author
Bill Duke Robert Townsend Chip Fields Debbie Allen Ernest Dickerson Mary Lou Belli Jeff Byrd Charles Stone III Carl Seaton Anthony Hemingway Eric Dean Seaton Millicent Shelton Salli Richardson‑Whitfield Gina Prince‑Bythewood Pamela Fryman Darren Grant Keenen Ivory Wayans Allan Kroeker Michael Spiller Michael Goi Rob Hardy Crystle C. Roberson Erma Elzy‑Jones
“Having personally witnessed Princess’s journey, it is no surprise to me her passage into excelling in her purpose. Keep sharing your story, light, and talents.”
BILL DUKE
DIRECTOR, ACTOR AND AUTHOR
PRESS & FEATURES
In conversation.
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEWS
Director & filmmaker interviews
Features, interviews, and conversations about directing, leadership, and building a career in entertainment.
PODCAST
PODCASTS
Podcast appearances
DGA
DGA GUILD NEWS
Elected Co-Chair, African American Steering Committee
WHAT SHE BRINGS TO THE ROOM
Trusted with the story.
Trusted with the people.
Actor-centered direction
Calm leadership under pressure
Precise command of tone
Clear visual storytelling
Collaboration with producers and networks
Range across TV and film
ASK PRINCESS FILMZ
Go live with
Princess.
Live YouTube and Instagram conversations about directing, Hollywood, Hood to Hollywood, creative careers, and the questions people want to ask Princess in real time. Follow now so the live schedule can become a direct community touchpoint.