Emma Seligman

“I don’t have a problem with rejection. You have to keep rolling and not let it make you question your work.” Born and raised in Toronto, Seligman grew up in an environment that nurtured her passion for film. Before high school, she followed her journalist aunt’s advice and applied to Sprockets, the Toronto International Film Festival for Children, where she earned a spot on the TIFF Next Wave Committee and connected with other teenage film enthusiasts. For college, Seligman moved to the U.S. to study film at New York University (NYU). Her first feature film, Shiva Baby, was inspired by a short film she had made as her thesis project, in which she began exploring themes that have since become central to her work: womanhood, Judaism, and queerness. After the tremendous success of Shiva Baby, Seligman moved on to a larger-budget production with Bottoms, a film that carries over her signature tone of sarcastic comedy—a hallmark of her distinct style.