Serena Dykman is a New York-based filmmaker and culture-clasher who uses storytelling to connect people through humor, heart, and humanity.

A proud “third-culture” kid, Serena was born in Paris and raised across Brussels, the French Antilles, London, and New York. Her global upbringing has been fueling her passion for exploring identity and cross-cultural connections. With her films, Serena challenges prejudice and stereotypes, often turning them on their heads with levity, because laughter is one of the greatest human connectors.

 

A graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts Film & Television program, Serena has worked with renowned talents like Saul Rubinek (Warehouse 13, True Romance, Hunters), Shahadi Wright Joseph (Us, Them), and James V. Hart (Hook, Contact, The Hot Zone). She has collaborated with major cultural institutions, including the Guggenheim Museum and the New York City Ballet Choreographic Institute. Her films have been official selections at over 80 film festivals, including Oscar-qualifiers, and have earned more than 25 awards, including a Webby Award.

 

Serena’s debut feature documentary, NANA tells the story of her grandmother’s survival of Auschwitz and her mission to educate and remember. The film was theatrically released by First Run Features, and Serena toured North America and Europe with it, giving talks at institutions such as the European Commission, Amnesty International, Classrooms Without Borders, and the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

​

Serena recently completed three films and is developing several scripted and unscripted projects.

​

Serena works between New York, Los Angeles, and Europe. 

​

She is represented by Buchwald. 

 

​