Katina Mercadante

About

Katina directed her first film in Kenya while conducting research on exorcism rituals by indigenous Swahili doctors. After graduating from college she worked as an international documentary producer at the United Nations and for several independent directors. 

She forayed from the documentary world into the commercial world when she met Everynone director Daniel Mercadante. The two developed a partnership and now direct short films and commercials together as The Mercadantes and are represented by production company Park Pictures.

As a director, Katina tells stories which illuminate the hidden joys of human existence. Whether a short art film or a multinational commercial, she is adamant about maintaining integrity to the core essence of the message, which at its root must be positive and inspirational. 

Her background as a producer makes her a hands-on director, excelling when designing commercial productions wherein real people are captured in an organic, natural way.

Katina was born in Berkeley, CA and graduated from Amherst College with a degree in Black Studies and Fine Art.  She speaks Swahili and Spanish. She and her husband live in Mill Valley, California.
 

Awards

2015 Nominee for Directors Guild of America Award -  "Directorial Achievement in Commercials" 
2014 Winner Grand CLIO Award for direction of Dicks Sporting Goods, “Sports Matters” 
2012 Selected TED Ads Worth Spreading—"Prudential: Day One"
2012 Winner Cannes Lions—Gold Integrated Lion—“Prudential: Day One” as associate producer
2008 Winner ‘Best Narrative Feature Film’ at the Los Angeles Film Festival for producing the film, “Wah Do Dem”
2007 Winner Amherst College Edward T Jones prize for excellence in thesis for the project and film ‘Sitafuga ndwele na waganga tele (I shall not suffer illness while doctors abound): The World Health Organization and Indigenous Medicine in East Africa’