Jesse Leaman is an Australian/Spanish Writer and Director whose heritage and personal experiences—including living with a mild tic disorder—shape his commitment to telling authentic stories and amplifying underrepresented voices.

His debut short film Lorne, starring Oscar-nominated actor Guy Pearce, screened internationally at festivals including Palm Springs ShortFest, Nashville, and Flickerfest, winning multiple awards before being released on Omeleto to wide acclaim. Building on this success, Jesse’s short film Mad Martha is now available on SBS On Demand and has earned international awards for direction and cinematography.

His documentary Mother of Chooks has played at major festivals worldwide, including Hot Docs, Doc Edge, and the Edmonton International Film Festival, and received a Jury Citation Award at the Thomas Edison Film Festival.

Jesse has also directed music videos for artists such as ARIA-nominated rapper Masked Wolf and acclaimed singer-songwriter Didirri. His work has collectively reached tens of millions of viewers, with Skin earning him Best Director at ARFF Barcelona, along with Best Production and an Honourable Mention at the International Music Video Awards. In 2023, he was nominated for Best Direction in a Music Video at the Australian Directors Guild Awards for Didirri’s Often Broken.

In the effort of beauty, Jesse builds worlds grounded in bitter reality and deep existential tones. His work lingers long after the credits roll. He is currently developing his debut feature film with co-writer Taylor Adams, following the success of Lorne.
My debut short film Lorne, starring Guy Pearce, premiered at the Palm Springs Film Festival, toured international festivals, and received multiple awards. Later distributed on the premium YouTube channel Omeleto, it attracted 270k views and garnered critical acclaim.

Since Lorne, I’ve made additional short films, including Mad Martha, available on SBS On Demand. Mad Martha has received multiple awards for direction and cinematography across international festivals. I’ve also continued exploring documentary work and dived into directing music videos for many artists, uncluding Aria-nominated artist Masked Wolf and celebrated singer-songwriter Didirri, collectively amassing tens of millions of views. My work "Skin" has earned a Best Director Award from ARFF Barcelona, Best Production and an Honourable Mention at The International Music Video Awards. I received a Best Director nomination at the 2023 Australian Directors Guild Awards (ADG) for my work on Didirri’s music video Often Broken.