KARIN CHIEN is an award-winning producer and distributor whose work focuses on financing innovations, equitable production structures, and radically different distribution solutions.

Karin is the founder & CEO of Art & Action— a global boutique production company. Karin is the co-founder & president of dGenerate Films— a distributor of independent Chinese cinema. Karin is the founder & director of the Nevada City Film Festival Residency— a creative retreat for independent producers. Karin is a co-founder of Distribution Advocates— a collective advocating for equity and transparency in film distribution.

Recognition includes:

• Color Congress Distribution Keynote speaker

• Sundance Producers Keynote speaker

• Special Recognition for Distribution from the New York Film Critics Circle.

• Independent Spirit Producer’s Award

• Cinereach Producing Award

• Film Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School Shorenstein Center

• Humanitas Prize

• Sundance Film Festival Audience Award

PRODUCER

Karin is committed to ethical filmmaking practices that can support the emergence of new ideas, models and forms. Karin produces work that spans feature films, nonfiction, video games, publishing, and artwork.

From 2020 - 2023, Karin was a producer and later a partner at Louverture Films. From 2014 - 2020, Karin helped launch MasterClass as its founding producer and later spearheaded its growth of global production.

Karin's producing work includes:

• Cannes Official Selection MAN IN BLACK (represented by Goodman Gallery)

• Iranian-American feature and Sundance Audience Award winner CIRCUMSTANCE (distributed by Participant Media and Roadside Attractions)

• Haitian- American feature and Tribeca Best Director winner STONES IN THE SUN

• Tribeca Best Actress winner THE EXPLODING GIRL (distributed by Oscilloscope Pictures)

• Asian-American feature and Humanitas Prize winner THE MOTEL (distributed by Palm Pictures)

• Asian-American feature and winner of 35 festival awards ROBOT STORIES (self-distributed with Kino Lorber)

• artwork for major institutions

• groundbreaking interactive work for public media

Karin is a member of the Producers Branch of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

Distributor & curator

Karin is the co-founder and president of dGenerate Films, the leading distributor of independent, contemporary Chinese cinema. The dGenerate Films collection is proud to distribute over 80 visionary films from mainland China and Hong Kong in partnership with Icarus Films.

Karin is a founding member of Distribution Advocates, a collective advocating for equity and transparency in systems of film distribution.

Karin was a co-creator of Cinema on the Edge, a series celebrating the best of Chinese independent films.

Strategic consulting, advising, teaching, & SPEAKING

Karin is the director of the Nevada City Film Festival Filmmaker Residency program, the first artist residency designed for independent producers.

Karin was the founder and director of the CAAM (Center for Asian American Media) Fellowship, a mentoring program for Asian American media professionals.

Karin is a strategic consultant in both production and distribution. Past clients include LucasFilm and the New York Times. Further, Karin has advised non-profit film organizations including Sundance, the Gotham, Tribeca Film Institute, Cinereach, ITVS, and Rockefeller Foundation.

Karin has been honored to speak on panels and serve on festival juries and awards committees.

Karin has taught producing and distribution for many storied institutions, including Temple University, Loyola Marymount University, School of Visual Arts, and New York University.

Karin has served as a mentor for many labs, including the Sundance Producing Lab, the Global Media Makers Lab, the Film Independent Producing Lab, and the Firelight Doc Lab.

EDUCATION

Karin received a Master’s degree in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s degree in English from University of California, Berkeley.