Debra Eisenstadt is an American director, writer, producer and actress. As a writer and director, she is the recipient of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2001 Slamdance Film Festival

Slamdance Film Festival

As a year-round organization, Slamdance serves as a showcase for the discovery of new and emerging talent in the film industry; it is also the only major film festival fully programmed by filmmakers. Slamdance counts among its alumni many notable writers and directors who first gained notice at the...

 and the Someone to Watch Award at the 2002 Independent Spirit Awards

Independent Spirit Awards

The Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...

, both for her film Daydream Believer. She also received awards for her film The Limbo Room starring Melissa Leo

Melissa Leo

Melissa Chessington Leo , is an American actress. After appearing on several television shows and films in the late '80s, her breakthrough role came in 1993 as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street for the show's first five seasons from 1993 – 1997...

. Her most highly visible acting role was starring in the film version of David Mamet

David Mamet

David Alan Mamet is an American playwright, essayist, screenwriter and film director.Best known as a playwright, Mamet won a Pulitzer Prize and received a Tony nomination for Glengarry Glen Ross . He also received a Tony nomination for Speed-the-Plow . As a screenwriter, he received Oscar...

's controversial Oleanna

Oleanna (play)

Oleanna is a two-character play by David Mamet, about the power struggle between a university professor and one of his female students, who accuses him of sexual exploitation and, by doing so, spoils his chances of being accorded tenure...

where she played opposite William H. Macy

William H. Macy

William Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...

. She is married to the filmmaker Brett Morgen. She is also a granddaughter of the Sweet'n Low

Sweet'N Low

Sweet'n Low is a brand of artificial sweetener from granulated saccharin, dextrose and cream of tartar. It was invented and first introduced in 1957 by Benjamin Eisenstadt and his son, Marvin Eisenstadt...

 inventor/founder Benjamin Eisenstadt

Benjamin Eisenstadt

Benjamin Eisenstadt designer the modern sugar packets and developed Sweet'N Low. He was the founder of the Cumberland Packing Corporation.-Biography:...

.

External links