Giovannie Espiritu's identity is deeply intertwined with politics, as she embodies the intersectionality of being a bisexual, once-undocumented immigrant Filipina mom who navigated a complex past as a teenager by spending time in a Biblical doomsday cult.
Her filmmaking journey began with her first short film, "Ultra-Feminist," which received an Honorable Mention at Outfest:Fusion, and was followed by her second film, "ALLY 3000," which won over 12 awards at various film festivals, primarily in scriptwriting and social justice. Her third short film, "Legacy," garnered accolades including the 2023 Silver Telly, the Hyundai Evolve Innovation Award, and was showcased in several esteemed exhibits, including the New Americans Museum and the OutMuseum. Giovannie's work is characterized by its bold approach to dismantling the patri,archy healing generational trauma, and exposing systems of bias with humor.
Giovannie recently concluded writing and directing the feature film, "Love & Karma," which boasts an impressive cast, including Oscar nominee Eric Roberts, Golden Globe nominee Joanna Pacula, and Golden Horse nominee Bai Ling, alongside Filipino talent Belinda Panelo and Jojo Riguerra.
As an accomplished actor herself, Giovannie was once nominated for Best Supporting Actress alongside Academy Award nominees Alfre Woodard and Amy Irving, although she humorously admits to not knowing what to do with that information other than including it on her business card.
In her free time, Giovannie enjoys rock climbing and dedicates herself to advocating for Domestic Violence Awareness/Prevention and LGBTQ equality. She has served on the Board of Directors for C.O.R.A. (a Bay Area domestic violence hotline and agency),volunteered at ALLICE, and was awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the Senate and California Assembly for her community service.
In 2021, Giovannie was recognized as one of the 23 "Most Influential Filipina Women in the World" in the Innovator & Thought Leader category by the Filipina Women's Network.
Giovannie's mantra, both in her real and reel life, is to "Break Hearts Wide Open and Create More Moments of Joy."
