Cecelia Wheeler

Cecelia Wheeler is a filmmaker from Seattle, Washington. She holds a BA from Middlebury College and an MFA in Directing from the Columbia University Film program, where she studied under the mentorship of Bette Gordon.

A 2026 Sundance Feature Lab fellow, her work has been supported by Indian Paintbrush, the Sloan Foundation, and the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. Cecelia’s thesis short was awarded Best Female Director and Jury Honors at Columbia University, premiering at the Raindance Film Festival. She is in development on her debut feature, Clear-Cut, which was awarded Best First Feature at Columbia and selected for the 2026 Sundance Screenwriting Lab. 

She is interested in creating characters who want to be bigger than themselves and finding the strange moments of optimism and tenderness that erupt under strain.