Anna Wilder Burns is an award-winning Cinematographer and Director focused on impactful stories of athletes, adventurers, and activists.

As a former two-sport Division 1 athlete, Anna specializes in sports and the outdoors; her work is defined by her unique ability to relate to her subjects on a personal level, and a passion for creating striking imagery.

She’s directed and DP’d documentaries, branded content, TV Commercials, and fashion campaigns for brands including Nike, The North Face, L’Oreal, Team USA, Specialized, and Asics. Her work has been seen on HBO Max, Peacock, and Outside TV, and featured in The New York Times, Outside Magazine, PEOPLE, The Player’s Tribune, and the Bleacher Report. Previously, she worked in-house at commercial and documentary production company Stept Studios. 

Her films have been accepted to Oscar-Qualifying festivals and taken home multiple Best Short and Best Director awards. Her original documentaries Recycled To Ride, Ability, and To Be Frank have been screened at festivals around the world; including Banff, Newport Beach, MountainFilm, HollyShorts, AmDocs, and EarthX. Her most recent film, Beyond Normal about the recovery journey of a pro surfer is currently touring festivals globally.

Born and raised on the coast of Maine, Anna’s life was defined by intense training as a Junior Olympic Gymnast, where she found a love for making videos of her team on an old GoPro. At The University of New Hampshire, while competing as a D1 student-athlete (gymnastics, then diving), she earned dual degrees in Journalism and Psychology with a minor in Sports Management and graduated Summe Cum Laude.

Rooted in her Maine upbringing, she is an expert skier and surfer. Whether on the side of the mountain, in the sea, or deep in the woods, she’s passionate about the outdoors and the environment. She can shoot on skis and underwater, and has Level 1 Avalanche Safety training. Between shoots, Anna can be found surfing, skiing, and exploring the outdoors with a camera in hand.