Derek Knowles

Roles: Director

DEREK KNOWLES is a filmmaker and cinematographer working in creative nonfiction. His work has been published on The New Yorker and PBS, received support from the Tribeca Film Institute and the Berkeley Film Foundation, and been featured as multiple Vimeo Staff picks.

His latest films have explored the relationships between humans and the natural world, most recently with Sentinels, an immersion into the world of tree-sitting, which is featured as part of The Los Angeles Times Short Documentary series.

He also served as a cinematographer on the Academy Award-shortlisted, Between Earth and Sky, which broadcast on POV in 2023, as well as the lead series cinematographer on Citizen Nation, a four-part documentary series that profiles the political coming-of-age of American high schoolers and civics competitors, which broadcast nationally on PBS in 2024.

2025 Program(s):
Wildlife Shorts: The Great Outdoors