Jenna A. Bush is a documentary editor and award-winning filmmaker located in NJ. Previous credits include a multitude of shorts, a docu-series, and a feature. Her first feature MALLORY (writer/editor) was picked up by Gravitas Ventures and is currently available on a multitude of streaming platforms. She is currently working on her second feature FENCING FOR THE EDGE which is in post-production. Jenna's short films have played in a variety of festivals and have received a handful of accolades over the years, including most recently a Best Editing award for HELLO TO JULIA.
Jenna describes her editing approach as intuitive storytelling with emotional intent. She credits her neurodivergence for her ability to recognize patterns and connections in raw footage and weave them together in a way that feels effortless. Her enhanced empathy and deep understanding of psychology provides a multifaceted perspective that is evident throughout her work. Jenna's attention to detail and heightened sensitivity to rhythm informs each and every cut made in the editing room. Her experience with chronic illness has also played an immense role in heightening each of these awarenesses.
"I consider myself an inherent Translator. Being neurodivergent means I experience life in a language different from those around me. Intrinsically, in order to understand others and subsequently be understood myself, I had to become an interpreter. This ability has become my master key in understanding the experiences of others and translating them into comprehensible, relatable, and compelling stories for audiences to connect with.
Why I love documentary films
"Films inspire within us a sense of connection and a feeling of possibility. They play a vital roll in shaping the way we relate to the world, each other, and our own internal selves. Documentaries provide a sense of understanding and a deepening of empathy that one can usually only get by going through something first hand. They fill in the gaps left by psychological blocks in interpersonal communication. It is much easier to let your guard down and listen when you're watching a film than speaking with someone you disagree with.
Some of the best documentaries do not tell us how to think. Instead they challenge us to delve into our own inner depths to search for truth. Sometimes asking a question is more valuable than having an answer. This is why I do what I do: to challenge beliefs, foster new perspectives, and awaken compassion all the while challenging my own capacity for understanding."
Jenna is also a writer, artist, and Taiji practitioner. She is an animal lover and amateur horseback rider. She enjoys spending time practicing taiji outdoors and communing with nature.