Vanessa Hope is a renowned director, writer, and producer of feature films, recognized for her exceptional work in crafting fictional and non-fiction stories set across diverse international settings. Her filmography boasts productions shot in the United States, China, Afghanistan, and Taiwan, which have garnered significant attention from prestigious film festivals worldwide, including Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, IDFA, and CPH:DOX.
In addition to her impressive film career, Vanessa shares a production company, Double Hope Films, with her husband, Ted Hope. Prior to embarking on her film journey, Vanessa was involved in foreign policy issues at the Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent think tank in New York. Vanessa's academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and East Asian Studies from the University of Chicago, as well as completing coursework for a PhD at Columbia University. Her linguistic skills are impressive, with fluency in Mandarin Chinese and French.
Notably, Vanessa co-authored a 10-episode podcast, "Love is a Crime," with Karina Longworth, which delves into the fascinating lives and careers of her grandparents, Walter Wanger, a film producer and studio executive, and Joan Bennett, a film noir actress and producer. The podcast explores their experiences during the Golden Age of Hollywood and is available on various podcast platforms.
