Filmmaker Jessie Zinn has signed with Tomorrow for commercial representation in the U.S. Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, Zinn is a South African Film & Television Award (SAFTA)-winning director whose work spans commercial and narrative formats.
Born the same year South Africa moved from apartheid to democracy, Zinn grew up in a country in the midst of a self-reckoning — a place she describes as full of beauty, humor, contradiction, and reinvention. That upbringing sparked a lasting curiosity about what we inherit, what we perform, what we hide, and how we survived it all. She carried that curiosity to Stanford, where she earned an MFA in documentary film, and fueled a body of work that marries emotional honesty with awe-inspiring visuals drawn from everyday life.
She has directed many spots for lifestyle and travel brands, including the Four Seasons, Belmond, Marriott, and Jumeirah Al Naseem, as well as additional commercial work for Onvida Health, Generali, Sonnenglas, and the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries. Additionally, she directed the mixed-media PSA “Can I Please Go To The Bathroom?”, which addresses girls’ concerns about menstruation with unflinching empathy. Prior to joining Tomorrow, Zinn was handled for U.S. commercial representation by production house Avocados & Coconuts.
An acclaimed documentary filmmaker, Zinn directed Drummies–later acquired by The New Yorker. The short film follows the drum majorettes of Cape Town’s Groote Schuur Primary School. Zinn won a SAFTA for Best Documentary Short for Faces of Fortune, centering on Cape Town theatre star Terry Fortune. With Wavelengths, Zinn captured the illuminated windows of Bay Area volunteers for Exhale, a hotline for women seeking help processing their abortion experiences.
“Across the board, Tomorrow has such a diverse and exciting roster of directors,” remarked Zinn. “The work doesn’t feel like it all comes from the same machine, which I love. It feels like a place where different voices can co-exist properly, and I’m really excited to be joining that. Meeting Chris [Zander, Tomorrow’s managing director], he felt like someone willing to get into the creative trenches with you, which is rare and refreshing. This industry can sometimes feel quite lonely, or like you’re constantly fighting for the work to stay alive, so having someone who is genuinely in it with you makes a huge difference.”
Zander said of Zinn, “She wowed our reps before we even signed her. Her work blew our minds immediately. She’s so smart, and her work is instantly compelling to anyone who watches it. The team and I can’t wait to get her in front of a wider U..S audience and for the rest of the industry to know and love working with Jessie the way that we do.”
