Alana de Freitas is a renowned actress and filmmaker, hailing from Australia, who relocated to Los Angeles in 2015. She is most notable for her leading role in the Amazon Prime series 'Before the Dawn', which she also wrote and produced. This pivotal role earned her the prestigious Best Actress Award at the European Independent Film Awards and the International Independent Film Awards. Her upcoming projects include the horror feature 'Bashira', directed by Academy Award Winner Nickson Fong, and the comedy feature 'Cash Collectors'.
In 2017, Alana founded her production company, ADF Productions, where she excels as a writer and producer. Her films have garnered numerous accolades on the festival circuit, with 'Before the Dawn' being recognized with the ReFrame Stamp, an initiative of Women in Film and the Sundance Institute, which celebrates gender parity both in front of and behind the camera. The film also won Best Feature Film at the American Film Awards and the Focus International Film Festival.
Alana's directorial debut, 'Nancy', received widespread acclaim, taking home the Grand Jury Prize at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival, Best Short Film at the Vegas Movie Awards and the Hollywood Gold Awards, as well as Best Screenplay at the International Independent Film Awards and Best First Time Director at the New York Film Awards.
Currently, Alana is developing several projects, including the horror feature 'Stay Awake' and the documentary feature '#WhyIDidntReport', which delves into the reasons why survivors of sexual assault choose not to report their abuse. Committed to promoting women and underrepresented groups, both on and off screen, Alana has been accepted into the 2020 Women in Film Mentoring Program.
