Denise DiIanni
Writer / Filmmaker
I'd like to hear from you: denise.diianni@gmail.com
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I am a writer and an award-winning creator of primetime broadcast films. My work explores science, medicine, culture and society, and blends my background in journalism and documentary storytelling with a passion for narrative.
​Currently I'm completing a collection of personal essays and a medical thriller set in a hospital neonatal unit—a high-stakes, twist-filled tale of life, death, and resilience.
I seek representation to bring these projects to a wider audience.
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My family and our dogs split time between Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Deer Isle, Maine— a small Downeast island full of good stories.
ESSAYS
New York Times
Modern Love
February 7, 2025
Pangryus
Things Will Not Stay Put​
July 25th, 2023
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Literary Mama
Eruptions
September/October 2023
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Gemini Magazine
A Man Locks His Wife in the Trunk
March 2025
DOCUMENTARY FILMS
I’ve written, directed, and executive produced acclaimed content for national broadcast audiences. My award-winning PBS documentaries are honored with Emmys, the Robert F. Kennedy Award, Edward R. Murrow Awards, Cine Awards, and a NABJ Award, among others.
As a member of WGA, NATAS, and WIFV, I've contributed to the industry, leading workshops and mentoring emerging filmmakers to foster the next generation of storytellers.
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Select Filmography
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Future of Work - (3 episodes) Executive Producer - link
Mysteries of Mental Illness (4 episodes)- Executive Producer - link
Third Rail - (8 episodes) Creator, Executive Producer - link
Point Taken - (10 episodes) Creator, Executive Producer
I'll Have What Phil's Having (8 episodes)- Co-Executive Producer
Sacred Journeys - (6 episodes) Co-Executive Producer
America After Ferguson - Executive Producer
America After Charleston - Executive Producer
Eye On Education - Creator, Executive Producer
Wild Europe - (6 episodes) Writer, US Executive Producer
Fine Art of Faking It - Writer, Producer, Director - link
The Big Spill - Writer, Producer, Director
The Deadly Deception - Writer, Producer, Director - link
What's New About Menopause? - Writer, Producer, Director
Kidnapped by UFO? - Writer, Producer, Director
The Deadly Shadow of Vesuvius - Writer, Producer, Director
CONNECT WITH DENISE
Email: denise.diianni@gmail.com