Loretta Alper is an American director of documentary films, television shows, and digital media. She has been producing and directing since the late 1990s, and has been involved in projects for HBO, A&E, PBS, and the Sundance Channel.
Loretta Alper was born in New York City, and grew up in Westchester County. She attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she received a B.A. in Communications and a minor in Film Studies. She went on to receive an M.F.A. in Film and Media Arts from Temple University.
Alper's first project was a short documentary about a Jewish family in Philadelphia. She has since gone on to produce and direct a number of award-winning documentaries, including the Emmy-nominated "The Education of Shelby Knox," which chronicled a teen girl's crusade for sex education in a Texas high school. She also directed the Peabody Award-winning "The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner," which followed the former Washington governor's battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Alper has also directed television shows such as "The First 48" and "Locked Up Abroad" for A&E. She has also produced and directed digital media projects for the Sundance Channel and HBO, including the Emmy-nominated "LIFE 360: The Digital Divide."
In addition to her work in television and film, Alper is also an educator and an advocate. She is on the board of directors for the International Documentary Association, and she is a frequent speaker at universities and film festivals.
Alper has received numerous awards for her work, including a Primetime Emmy nomination, a Peabody Award, and multiple awards from the International Documentary Association. She is an active member of the Directors Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America, and the International Documentary Association.
As a director, Alper is passionate about telling stories that explore complex social issues and show the humanity of her subjects. She brings a unique perspective to her work, and her films have been described as both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. Loretta Alper is an important force in the world of documentary filmmaking, and her work has left an indelible mark on the industry.
