Kristina Budelis

Tall Tales with True Queens is a short documentary about the controversial event series Drag Queen Story Hour which I produced, co-shot, and co-directed with Leandro Badalotti on a truly shoestring budget. It premiered at the 2020 Tribeca International Film Festival and was a selection for Oscar-qualifying HSDFF; it was also acquired by Peacock for a short run. You can watch it here.

I was proud to produce and direct a short segment of this video celebrating Joe Biden’s presidential victory. The video was covered in The New York Times and received hundreds of millions of views across platforms.

Very fun short doc I pitched, produced, and co-directed (with Leandro Badalotti) about the oh-so-viral “lawyer cat.” This was acquired and published by The New Yorker. It was also an official selection at HSDFF festival—an Oscar-qualifying festival. We directed and shot this film remotely during the pandemic in ~2 weeks on a shoestring budget…and we managed to TRACK DOWN THE CAT!

I pitched and produced this short doc for NBC / The Today Show, focused on how combat veterans and rescued wolves help each other heal.

Lockwood Animal Rescue Center in California offers a therapeutic work environment for former military personnel and a forever home to wolves, wolf dogs and other animals in formerly perilous situations.

Watch here.

I co-shot, produced and edited this mini documentary on the legendary writer Gay Talese for The New Yorker. 

I edited and produced this video featuring Theo Jansen's mystical wind-powered sculptures, which got over 1million views and was the first video ever to be the most-viewed item on NewYorker.com

I directed, produced and edited this trailer for Gary Shteyngart's book trailer for Little Failure. The trailer featured James Franco, Rashida Jones, and Jonathan Franzen, and was featured on Buzzfeed, NewYorker.com, Slate, Salon, and GQ. 

As a toddler, Philly Mayer was healthy and happy. A chubby baby, he was quick to laugh and eager to get up on his own feet.

And then, before his first birthday, Philly suddenly stopped walking. His motor skills began to deteriorate. After a slew of tests and endless emotional upheaval, doctors diagnosed Philly with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. A Thousand More is the story of one family’s determination to give their son a whole and vital life. In the midst of a great burden, one small child – with a seemingly endless supply of love – can be the blessing that holds a family together.

I was one of three cinematographers who worked on this piece, and I also did the interviews. A Thousand More was nominated for a Webby. 

Daphne Guinness “has been variously described in the press as an heiress, a muse, a socialite, a designer, and an artist.” In this video, Guinness gives an unorthodox tour of her New York City apartment and shows off the things that inspire her. I co-shot, produced and edited this profile of fashion icon and socialite Daphne Guinness for The New Yorker

A few years ago, Yolanda Cuomo, a legendary New York-based artist and graphic designer, learned that she had to vacate her Chelsea studio of twenty-five years. The studio, in an old carriage house in Manhattan, has been the site of artistic collaborations for decades, with artists and photographers from Richard Avedon to Laurie Simmons and Sylvia Plachy. 

I edited this piece, and co-shot and co-produced it for The New Yorker. It recently screened at The Frontline Club in London.