Quinnolyn Benson-Yates

is an award-winning filmmaker with over a decade of experience.

Her feature documentary Epic Bill gained nationwide distribution through PBS, with promotions on CNN and SiriusXM. Quinn was the head writer and producer for the series “Top Voices,” where she produced and co-wrote the pilot, and completed production for the first season.

She’s a two time winner of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s 10-10-10 Filmmaking Competition. Her first winning film, Miss Rivers, screened at festivals including the Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival and was distributed on the global streaming platform Revry.

Quinn earned her MFA in Film & Television Production from the prestigious USC School of Cinematic Arts. She is a Town and Gown Scholar and a recipient of the James Bridges Endowed Scholarship and the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation Endowment.

She graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara with Honors in Psychology, a Distinction in Film and Media Studies, and the Film and Media Studies Department's Outstanding Graduating Senior award. 

Awards & Distribution

  • Over 36 PBS channels across America - Epic Bill

  • San Luis Obispo International Film Festival - Epic Bill

  • Nature Track Film Festival - Epic Bill

  • Denali Film Festival - Epic Bill

  • Red Rock Film Festival - Epic Bill

  • Golden Gate International Film Festival: Audience Choice Screening - Epic Bill

  • Revry: Queer Global Streaming Distribution Platform - Miss Rivers

  • Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival: Official Selection - Miss Rivers

  • Queen Palm International Film Festival: Nominated Best Editing - Miss Rivers

  • Santa Barbara International Film Festival's Winning Director Award for the 10-10-10 Student Filmmaking Competition - Miss Rivers

  • Reel Loud Silent Film & Arts Festival: Best Cinematography - Wade Out

  • My Hero International Film Festival - Laurie’s Day

  • LA Lift Off Film Festival - Laurie’s Day

  • Oceanside International Film Festival - Stuck

  • Paul and Elinor Lazarus Screenwriting Scholarship

  • Corwin Award for Best Picture - Stuck

  • Corwin Award for Best Screenplay - Cycle

  • Best Short Recognition Award (Screenplay) - Stuck

  • Best Short Recognition Award (Woman Filmmaker) - Stuck

  • UC Santa Barbara's Golden Elmo Production Award - Stuck