Jenna Sofia tells stories across media. Her work as both performer and writer-director is driven by an impulse to connect with her roots. Second Seed: Part 1 was her first (musical) investigation into personal and familial myth and folklore (Dixon Place).  

She founded Second Seed Productions to expand this investigation – beginning with deconstructing her own personal lore and that of her family – with the intention of widening circles to exploring the legend and lore of the greater human family. BREAK THE CAMERA marked SSP’s premiere project and Jenna’s directorial debut in film (11 Official Selections including Mill Valley Film Festival; 2 nominations; and 4 awards, including Winner: Best Experimental Short [Amazing Shorts! Film Festival, Madrid]).

Jenna can work as a one-woman shop, but thrives in collaboration. Past collaborations include: Poisoning the Prophets, an allegory inspired by the disappearing honeybees (MNElements, LPAC) and the subsequent feature screenplay; A House of Skin and Bone, a poetic physical-theatre piece developed with Nettles Artists Collective. 

As an actress, she has played houses from London’s Southwark Playhouse (the Off-West End Award-Nominated [Best Ensemble] Summer and Smoke, dir. Rebecca Frecknall) to LaMaMa ETC in NYC. Film & TV highlights: SIDE PIECE (Big Apple Film Festival), CHOCOLATE AND CIGARETTES (Maverick Movie Award Nomination, Best Supporting Actress), THE GRID (NYCIFF Winner, Best Pilot), CALL THE COBBS (Boulevard Film Festival). She appears in the forthcoming DONUT SHOP and A SINGLE EVENING, which are making the festival rounds.

Currently, Jenna is in post-production for RHYTHM OF SIX, a short she wrote, directed and performed in – filmed while she was 8-months pregnant. 

She is a member of NYC Women Filmmakers and a founding member of The COBWEB (Collective of Badass Women in the Entertainment Business), which she is proud to have named.

Follow her journey on Instagram and Facebook.

Photo credit: Rafael Acata Photography (black dress)

Photo credit: Silvia Saponaro (red dress)