Quinnolyn Benson-Yates

is a multi-award-winning filmmaker with over a decade of experience. She specializes in directing, writing, producing, and cinematography.

Her feature documentary Epic Bill is distributed on Amazon and Apple TV, and gained nationwide distribution through PBS, with promotions on CNN and SiriusXM.

Quinn earned her MFA in Film & Television Production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. She is a Town and Gown Scholar and a recipient of the James Bridges Endowed Scholarship and the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation Endowment. While at USC, Quinn won the highest achievement in Outstanding Producing in USC’s First Look Faculty Awards for the thesis film Breathe, Brother, Breathe. Quinn was selected as the head writer and producer for the student-produced series Top Voices, where she co-wrote the pilot and produced the first season of production. She was also the cinematographer for the thesis films I Love You More Than Dinosaurs, Home, and The Big Night.

She’s a two time winner of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s 10-10-10 Filmmaking Competition. Her first winning film, Miss Rivers, screened at festivals including the Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival and was distributed on the global streaming platform Revry.

Quinn graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara with Honors in Psychology, a Distinction in Film and Media Studies, and the Film and Media Studies Department's Outstanding Graduating Senior award. 

Awards & Distribution

  • Amazon & Apple TV Distribution - Epic Bill

  • Over 36 PBS channels across America - Epic Bill

  • University of Southern California First Look: Winner - Outstanding Achievement in Producing - Breathe, Brother, Breathe

  • Austin Film Festival - Man

  • Winner: Santa Barbara International Film Festival's Director Award for the 10-10-10 Student Filmmaking Competition - Miss Rivers

  • Winner: Golden Gate International Film Festival: Audience Choice Screening - Epic Bill

  • National Film Festival for Talented Youth - Top Voices

  • San Luis Obispo International Film Festival - Epic Bill

  • Revry: Queer Global Streaming Distribution Platform - Miss Rivers

  • Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival: Official Selection - Miss Rivers

  • Oceanside International Film Festival - Stuck

  • Nature Track Film Festival - Epic Bill

  • Denali Film Festival - Epic Bill

  • Red Rock Film Festival - Epic Bill

  • Queen Palm International Film Festival: Nominated Best Editing - Miss Rivers

  • Reel Loud Silent Film & Arts Festival: Best Cinematography - Wade Out

  • My Hero International Film Festival - Laurie’s Day

  • LA Lift Off Film Festival - Laurie’s Day

  • Best Short Recognition Award (Screenplay) - Stuck

  • Best Short Recognition Award (Woman Filmmaker) - Stuck

  • UC Santa Barbara - Film and Media Studies Outstanding Graduating Senior Award

  • UC Santa Barbara - Paul and Elinor Lazarus Screenwriting Scholarship

  • UC Santa Barbara - Corwin Award for Best Picture - Stuck

  • UC Santa Barbara's Golden Elmo Production Award - Stuck

  • UC Santa Barbara - Corwin Award for Best Screenplay - Cycle