Ellen Ancui is a WGA, AWD, award-winning, neurodiverse, bi, writer/director who specializes in traumadies—darkly funny stories where (mostly) women dig their own graves, then complain about the landscaping. A Long Island kid raised by a Sicilian mom who converted for her Jewish dad (but still snuck ham sandwiches into the garage) Ellen was destined to tell complicated stories and overfeed people. A former private chef to fancy people like Horton Foote, Ellen founded SOLO ARTS GROUP, NYC and gave the original Upright Citizens Brigade their first home (you’re welcome, comedy). After 2 successful one-woman shows, ZEL REBELS! THE STORY OF A WOMAN IN A (1) MAN SHOW (Public Fringe) and JUMPING OFF THE FRIDGE (HBO Workspace) she moved to LA, wrote for Sony’s MALCOLM & EDDIE, and had her play GLORY PIE sell out at the Coronet with love letters from Variety. Other credits: BROWN & FRIENDS (Netflix), BONNIE SCREWS UP (podcast), SIZZLER (Next Stage Press), several pieces at The Braid Theater, and the award-nominated podcast, FILTHY MILFS, about sex, wellness, and aging (dis)gracefully. Her directorial debut, SAVERIO, now an Oscar-qualified short for 2027, has played at 36 film festivals, nominated for 16 awards, won 8, including 4 audience awards, the Grand Prize at the Jeonju Int'l Short Film Festival, Korea, and a NYWIFT Excellence in Directing Award. Ellen is developing the feature of SAVERIO, developing a new short, I HOPE YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER JUST LIKE YOU, and hired to direct her first feature, RYAN & JEANETTE later this year.