Daniel Foerste (he/him/his) was a 2017 Project Involve Fellow in Directing and the first recipient of Focus Features’ Lili Elbe Fellowship for transgender filmmakers. Daniel is co-writer and the story creator on the feature film Moonshadow, a LGBTQ horror film inspired by his experience in conversion therapy as a teen, which is in preproduction with Gunpowder & Sky, YOMYOMF, and Nonetheless Productions and to be directed by Silas Howard. Daniel was recently included in GLAAD’s “Trans stories and creators to watch in 2019” list as part of TransWeek.
Daniel’s short films lie in horror and fantasy, utilizing genre tools to explore queer narratives and variations of social dynamics. His films have screened at the Seattle Translations Film Festival, San Francisco Transgender Film Festival, Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, REDCAT, Pixilerations, and UFrame Festival.
Daniel has been collaborating with Nonetheless Productions for the last four years and previously worked for Sundance New Frontier.
Daniel holds an MFA in Film Directing from Calarts. In addition to film, he devotes time as an advocate for youth focusing on topics of gender and sexuality.
First Horror Film: The Exorcist
Favorite Genres: Body Horror, Urban Legends, Slashers
Favorite Movies: Candyman, Fright Night II, Class of 1999, Suspiria
Favorite Franchise: A Nightmare on Elm St
