John Helde is a director and screenwriter based in Seattle. He got his start with the New York documentary-makers Maysles Films, and was a film editor on movies by such noted directors as Alan Rudolph, Steve James, and Chris Eyre. His award-winning dramatic shorts include HELLO, starring Eric Stoltz and Susanna Thompson, which won the CSA Artios Award for Best Short Film Casting. John’s debut feature documentary MADE IN CHINA played the festival circuit to critical acclaim and aired on the Documentary Channel. FIELD WORK: A FAMILY FARM, his next documentary, aired on public television following its festival run. John has been a Stranger Genius Award nominee, and his work has received grants from Humanities Washington, 4Culture, Seattle Arts & Culture, Artist Trust and more. His recent independent features BROWN’S CANYON and PHOEBE’S FATHER, made with Seattle-based cast and crew, are streaming on major platforms. His latest feature, MARCIE’S, premiered in April 2025 and recently launched on Apple TV, Amazon, Google and more. John also directs brand films and commercials for clients including Microsoft, Alaska Airlines, Brooks Running, WongDoody, and Partners for Our Children.