spence@spence.world

Insta / Vimeo

Spencer MacDonald (he/him) is a Berlin-based director, born in NYC and raised in San Francisco. Blending documentary and fiction, his work explores the strange overlap of human stories and environmental mysteries. His debut short, Scarlet Medusa—about a jellyfish that may live forever—premiered on Nowness and screened at festivals like Palm Springs International ShortFest and the Atlanta Film Festival, where it earned a jury mention. His follow-up, A Body Called Life, has played at over 35 festivals, won more than a dozen awards, and qualified for the 2025 Oscars. His films have been featured by The Atlantic, National Geographic, and Vimeo’s "Best of the Year." On the commercial side, he’s directed for Nike, Airbnb, AllTrails, VW, Rapha, Allbirds, and more. He’s currently developing his first feature—Passengers (fund him).

 


Select Press:

Vimeo Staff Pick: AllTrails
Director’s Library: AllTrails
NOWNESS: A Body Called Life
97th Academy Award Longlist: A Body Called Life
Winner, Best Documentary Short, 32nd Raindance Film Festival 2024 (Academy Award qualified): A Body Called Life
’Special Jury Award Documentary Short’, Santa Fe International Film Festival 2024: A Body Called Life
Honorable Mention, 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival, 2024: A Body Called Life
Grand Jury Prize, Dallas International Film Festival 2024: A Body Called Life
’From the Booth’ Award, 51st Athens International Film and Video Festival 2024: A Body Called Life
’Special Jury Prize: Best Short’ Deadcenter Film Festival 2024: A Body Called Life
Best Original Score, Brooklyn Film Festival 2024: A Body Called Life
Best International Documentary Short, Evollution Mallorca International Film Festival 2024: A Body Called Life
’In Vivo Award’ Science New Wave Festival 2024: A Body Called Life
Best Documentary Short, Cannes Indie Shorts Awards 2024: A Body Called Life
Best Documentary Short, NYC Indie Shorts Awards 2024: A Body Called Life
Best Cinematography, Centre Film Festival 2024
Best Poetic Documentary Film, Doc.Berlin 2024
Best of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles 2025, Best Short Documentary, Nominee
Best of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles 2025, Best Score, Winner
The Telly Awards 2025, Best Director, Gold Winner
The Telly Awards 2025, Best Experimental Film, Gold Winner
Official Selection @ over twenty Academy Award Qualifying Festivals: A Body Called Life
Vimeo’s Best of the Year: Switzerland Tourism ‘Even if It Takes Awhile’ (with Director’s Commentary), 2023
1.4 Awards Shortlist: Dear Travelers
Directors’ Library: Dear Travelers, 2022
Vimeo Staff Pick: Dear Travelers, 2022
Shots: On My Radar, 2021
Directors’ Library: VW - Down Tools, 2021
Vimeo Staff Pick: Lyft - The Sound of Y, 2021
Honorable Mention, Documentary Shorts, Atlanta Film Festival 2021, Scarlet Medusa
Official Selection, Palm Springs International Shortfest 2021, Scarlet Medusa
1.4 Awards “On the Cusp” Shortlist: Scarlet Medusa
Vimeo Staff Pick: Scarlet Medusa, 2020
NOWNESS: Scarlet Medusa
Directors’ Library: Scarlet Medusa
Filmsupply: Editing with a Director’s Perspective
Webby Nomination, Best Editing, Rapha Rides LA, 2019
National Geographic Short Film Showcase: 'Thousand Hills of Hope'
Vimeo Staff Picks: 'Rapha Rides LA'
HYPEBEAST, 'Rapha Rides LA'
The Radavist, 'Rapha Rides LA'
Vimeo Staff Picks: 'Age of the Farmer'
The Atlantic's Editors' Picks: 'Age of the Farmer'
National Geographic's Short Film Showcase: 'Age of the Farmer'
Official selection Environmental Film Festival: 'Age of the Farmer'
Official selection Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival: 'Age of the Farmer'
Official selection Best Coast Film Festival: 'Age of the Farmer'
Alaska Airlines' SIFF Channel (In-Flight Entertainment): 'Age of the Farmer'
Vimeo Staff Picks: 'Rapha Rides Boulder'
The Atlantic's Editors' Picks: 'Kukimbia'
Outside Magazine: 'Kukimbia'
Huck Magazine: 'Kukimbia'
Outside Online: 'Hells Canyon'
Vimeo Staff Picks: 'Rapha Rides Seattle'
Official Selection Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival 2017: 'Conservation Generation'
Official selection Telluride Mountainfilm 2017: 'Conservation Generation'
Official selection Wild & Scenic Film Festival 2018: 'Conservation Generation'