Lucia Bellini (aka Lu) is an Italian-born filmmaker, theater artist, and writer known for her dark humor, bold perspective, and multimedia approach to live storytelling. Her work explores the intersection of tenderness and absurdity—finding meaning and laughter in life’s most defiant moments.
Lu began directing by accident on a rainy morning in 2008, when the director of a project she was working on was too hungover to show up. Stepping into the chair herself, she found a sense of home—and never looked back.
Behind the scenes, she has worked extensively as a producer on short films, photography, and commercials—often doubling as assistant director—which grounded her approach with a deep understanding of production and the importance of collaboration.
Her academic journey began later in life, when the 2021 lockdown finally gave her time to pursue a long-held dream of formal education. With a scholarship to Hunter College, she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2024 with a major in film and a minor in theater. There, she began writing her own scripts, merging her love for comedy, visual exploration, and incongruity.
Drawing on her filmmaking skills, Lu creates theatrical experiences that reimagine traditional storytelling, as seen in Abdication! and 60/40 by long-time collaborator Naya James, where a live TV feed becomes an additional character.
Her short Liberty Speaks (2020), directed in a dream-like deserted Times Square, continues its festival run, and her latest short, Together Forever at Last, a comedy about love and panic, is in post-production.
In between day jobs to keep the lights on, Lu continues to explore stories that celebrate imperfection, the absurdity of choice, and the humor in heartbreak.
A proud Brooklynite since 2006, she lives with her husband and their cats—ever-faithful companions on the chaotic carousel of creative ambition.