About the Speaker:
Taylor Taglianetti is a Webby Award–winning director, producer, and cultural strategist working at the intersection of storytelling, audience engagement, and community-building.
She is the Founder and President of the National Organization of Italian Americans in Film & Television (NOIAFT), a national nonprofit dedicated to expanding access, mentorship, and opportunity within the entertainment industry.
Taylor directed and produced her debut feature documentary, What’s Next?, which world premiered at the Cleveland International Film Festival in April 2024, was nominated for the Documentary Achievement Award at the Miami Film Festival, and had a sold-out screening at DOC NYC in November 2024.
The documentary follows 103-year-old neurologist Dr. Howard Tucker, the Guinness World Record holder for the world’s oldest practicing doctor. The film and its subject were featured by Good Morning America, The Today Show, The New York Times, CNN, CNBC, People, and more.
Alongside the film’s promotion, Taylor spearheaded a groundbreaking digital campaign that transformed Dr. Tucker into a viral sensation, generating millions of views on social media and earning her a Webby Award — widely regarded as the Oscars of the Internet— for excellence in using digital platforms to engage audiences and build momentum around the themes of aging and longevity.
Under her production company Half House Productions, Taylor also produced the short documentary Heirloom, starring Isabella Rossellini, which premiered at the Los Angeles–Italia Film Festival and received a grant from the Russo Brothers.
Taylor serves as a consultant and advisor to cultural institutions, nonprofits, and media companies including the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), Disney, and the National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW), supporting initiatives related to fundraising, grant review, and cultural representation. She also regularly serves as a moderator and interviewer, leading public conversations, panels, and red carpets with celebrities and public figures.
Taylor’s career in filmmaking began at the age of 15 when she directed the short documentary Generation Hollow. The film won the Juror’s Choice for Outstanding Filmmaking at the 2014 Women of African Descent Film Festival and eerily foreshadows the current crisis of how AI is challenging humans in the arts.
In 2018, she helped cast Shiva Baby (SXSW Film Festival) starring Rachel Sennott. In October 2024, Taylor received the Italian American Ambassador Award at the Italian Charities of America’s 88th annual gala. Taylor is a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
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