Caralene Robinson is a writer director whose work explores the self-actualization of women and underrepresented communities through narrative, documentary, and branded storytelling.
Her Carrie Mae Weems art-inspired digital series The Table - chronicling a relationship over seven transformative years - won Best Indie Episodic at the 2023 Essence Film Festival and screened at ABFF, Micheaux, and Bronzelens. Her pandemic short Reopening earned Best Short at Black Harvest Film Festival and was featured at the Pan African and Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festivals. Earlier works such as Ms/Manage and award-winning short The Bill screened at Cleveland, NewFest, and Urbanworld. As a producer, digital series King Ester was nominated for four 2020 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Caralene’s industry recognition includes being a 2024 Shondaland SeriesFest Women’s Directing Mentorship finalist, 2023 Ryan Murphy Half Initiative Director, 2022 Blackhouse Producer Fellow, and 2022 Gotham “Owning It” alum. She is also the Founder of Global Citizen’s Move Afrika Creative Fellows program, now in its third year, which provides training, mentorship, and funding for emerging African filmmakers. The program is sponsored by Cisco, Susan T. Buffett Foundation and Tribeca Enterprises.
Her documentary voice is reflected in the award-winning Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution and the City of Newark’s State of the City series. She is currently in production on She Did That.: Selling Up or Selling Out, a documentary exploring ambition and legacy through the lens of Black women creators.
Her branded work includes campaigns for Dove, AARP, Facebook, Nvidia, Shea Moisture, and Compass. Caralene’s experience includes leadership roles at Coca-Cola, Viacom and Global Citizen. She is a graduate of Howard University and NYU.
ACCOLADES
2024 Shondaland SeriesFest Women’s Directing Mentorship Finalist
2023 Best Indie Episodic, Essence Film Festival, Writer/Director “The Table”
2023 Ryan Murphy Half Initiative Director Shadow American Horror Story S12
2022 Blackhouse Producer Fellow
2022 Gotham “Owning It Accountability Challenge” Cohort
2021 Best Short, Black Harvest Film Festival, Writer/Director “Reopening”
2020 Facebook “Our Voice, Our Vote” Winner, Writer/Director Election PSA
2020 Four Daytime Emmy Nominations, Producer “King Ester”
2019 Best Web Series, Bronze Lens Film Festival, Producer “King Ester”
2019 Audience Award, New Orleans Film Festival, Producer “King Ester”
2017 Best Short, Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival, Writer/Director “The Bill”
2017 Best Short, Best Screenplay, I See U Film Festival Writer/Director “The Bill”
2012 Best Documentary, AAFCA, Producer “Versailles’73: American Runway Revolution”