Abigail Disney is an American documentary filmmaker, philanthropist, and activist. She is the granddaughter of Roy O. Disney, a co-founder of The Walt Disney Company.
Disney was born in 1959 in Los Angeles, California. She earned her BA in English from Yale University in 1981 and her PhD in English from Columbia University in 1992.
Disney’s filmmaking career began with her first documentary, Pray the Devil Back to Hell (2008). The film follows the story of Christian and Muslim women uniting to end the civil war in Liberia. The documentary won a number of awards, including the Best Documentary Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008.
Disney’s other works include the short film, The Armor of Light (2015), which follows a conservative Evangelical minister who is struggling with his views on gun violence. The film won a number of awards, including the best documentary award at the Brooklyn Film Festival in 2015.
Disney is also the founder of Fork Films, a company that produces documentary films. The company has created documentaries such as The Invisible War (2012), a film about sexual assault in the US military, and The Queen of Versailles (2012), a film about a billionaire couple’s lavish lifestyle.
Disney has also been involved in activism and philanthropy. In 2011, she co-founded the nonprofit Peace is Loud, which works to amplify the voices of women in conflict zones. She also serves on the board of the International Women’s Media Foundation and the Advisory Council for Women for Women International.
Disney has been a vocal advocate for gender equality and has written and spoken extensively about the importance of women’s rights. She has been named one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company and was named a Champion of Change by the White House in 2013.
Abigail Disney is an inspiring figure in documentary filmmaking, activism, and philanthropy. She has used her platform to raise awareness of important issues and has helped to create positive social change.
