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Shannon Plumb

Shannon Plumb has shot over 200 short films, which have been exhibited in museums, galleries, and on international screens. She started by shooting herself as various characters, acting out three-minute situations using humor and silence as her vehicles for storytelling. In 2013, her first feature film, Towheads, premiered at MoMA as part of New Directors / New Films; it is now streaming on the Criterion Channel. You can see her short films at shannonplumb.com and Towheads is available on Netflix and iTunes. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, director Derek Cianfrance, and their two sons.

“Godard Sucks!”

Shannon Plumb on how Richard Linklater's new film Nouvelle Vague finally helped her love the French New Wave's enfant terrible.

November 18, 2025

Delusion and the Artist

Shannon Plumb on her debut feature Towheads, now streaming on the Criterion Channel, and what it takes for filmmakers to keep going.

September 10, 2025

A Story to Live

Shannon Plumb goes to Florida to visit her father ... and finds inspiration in his surprising narrative arc.

July 30, 2024

Finding My Stage

As the SAG-AFTRA strike continues, filmmaker Shannon Plumb looks back at why she first became an actor.

November 3, 2023

Getting the Link Out

Shannon Plumb shares her experiences trying to find an audience for her new sketch comedy show, Chopped Liver.

August 22, 2022

Becoming Coach Shannon

Filmmaker Shannon Plumb on her experiences returning to her basketball roots to coach a middle school team.

June 21, 2022

Why Lucy Matters to Me

To mark the release of Amy Poehler’s new doc Lucy and Desi, Shannon Plumb shares her deep love of Lucille Ball and how she changed the world.

March 15, 2022

The Velvet Queen and the Art of Patience

Shannon Plumb delves deep into the world of this new nature documentary, and also finds lessons for our current situation.

January 20, 2022

From One (Great) Man to Another: Darius Marder and the Story of Sound of Metal

Shannon Plumb on how her friend and fellow filmmaker came to make his acclaimed, double Oscar-winning drama.

May 4, 2021

Little Voices

Prompted by Allen v. Farrow, Shannon Plumb shares a story from her own family that shows the importance of listening to and believing children.

April 14, 2021

Between Young and Old

Shannon Plumb talks film, aging and the pandemic with her friend Azazel Jacobs, whose latest movie, French Exit, opens in theaters this week.

February 11, 2021

Revisited: Derek Cianfrance in Quarantine Finishing I Know This Much Is True

Under lockdown, filmmaker Shannon Plumb talks to her husband Derek Cianfrance as he completes his new HBO show with Mark Ruffalo.

December 29, 2020