Production company Ruffian has added director Zoë Neary to its roster for U.S. representation. This marks her first commercial signing in the American market.
Born to Chinese and Irish parents and hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, Neary attended Capilano University’s School of Motion Picture Arts and has been making films that speak to the Gen-Z experience ever since. Her strong visual point of view is evidenced in her spots for Levi’s, Cupcakes and Johnnie Walker; and in her short film, Kids Who Jump Off Bridges, Neary’s distinctive blend of the sweet and the sour cuts to the core.
In “Born Wild” for Levi’s, Neary illustrates the restless, caged feeling permeating youth’s post-pandemic mindset. With an underlying yearning and a wary hopefulness, the film evokes a grungy, broken-down 1990s aesthetic while still living outside of time. Her short Kids Who Jump Off Bridges follows a young girl drawn into a world where girls bare all for social media likes and kids drink themselves blind, going too far despite the consequences. The film found success on the festival circuit as an Official Selection at Miami Independent, HollyShorts, Buffalo International, and Los Angeles Cinefest, among others, and won Best Picture at the Oregon International Film Festival.
“Zoë’s talent is unmistakable,” said Robert Herman, founder/EP at L.A.-based Ruffian. “Her wry visual wit brings a fresh voice to advertising and we’re very happy to have Zoë’s artistry on Ruffian’s roster.”
“Ruffian is a dream home for me because of their deep sense of storytelling and the integrity they bring to safeguarding their directors’ voices,” said Neary, “I trust their taste implicitly and I am thrilled to be joining such a galvanizing team.”
