Nicole Docta
she/her
Nicole Docta
Korean American
Cis
Affiliations
Links to Work
Bio
Nicole Docta (she/her) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker who has focused her career on producing socially provoking BIPOC stories. Nicole was part of the producing teams on the Peabody Award-winning THE JUDGE (TIFF 2017), Emmy and Anthem Award-winning BELLY OF THE BEAST (HRWFF 2020), and duPont Award-winner THROUGH THE NIGHT (Tribeca 2020) all of which aired on PBS’ Independent Lens and POV. Not only does Nicole work to improve outcomes for the communities in her films, she strives to enhance the documentary industry. Nicole worked as the Special Initiatives Producer at Firelight Media for three years co-curating the Beyond Resilience Series and helping to implement new artist programs to support BIPOC filmmakers. She volunteers on the DPA Equity & Inclusion Committee and is an active member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia (BGDM) and the Asian American Documentary Network (A-Doc). Nicole is also a USC CPD NextGen Creative Fellow, PGA Create alum, DOC NYC 40 Under 40, 2023 Sundance Producer Fellow, 2023 Impact Partners Producer Fellow, and 2025 Sundance Asian American Fellow.
Projects
We Arrive With Fire
Since time immemorial, Yurok people have placed fire on the land to maintain a healthy and balanced ecosystem. Over the past 100 years, settlers banned that fire, and the environment and the people have suffered. Now, Yurok people are returning fire medicine to the land in order to heal the world. WE ARRIVE WITH FIRE is in late production and supported by the Sundance Institute, The Redford Center, ITVS, and Firelight Media.
The Dead Zone
Every day, two people die in the purgatory between arrest and conviction known as pretrial detention. THE DEAD ZONE follows four daring insiders across the South fighting to overhaul this little known part of the criminal justice machine. Their reforms offer hope for those trapped by the failing system. THE DEAD ZONE is in production and supported by the Sundance Institute, Fund for Investigative Journalism, PGA, and Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund.
Untitled Great Salt Lake Documentary
A hybrid documentary weaving a cinematic tapestry of magical realism and socio-political commentary around the disappearance of the Great Salt Lake in a visually stunning, environmental thriller. This film is in development and supported by The Redford Center.
Adopting
All adoptions start with a trauma and through this lens, ADOPTING explores adoption systems and practices in need of reform. The film explores the emotional journey unique to adopted people and the life-long lessons generations of adoptees have to offer. ADOPTING is in development and supported by CAAM and the Sundance Institute.
