
Kate Cohen
Since founding Straight Up Films with her partner Marisa Polvino in 2008, Kate has produced films with major studios and worked with Hollywood’s elite players, including Johnny Depp, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Morgan Freeman, Christopher Nolan and Gavin O’Connor.
Kate is a lifelong advocate for children and mentor to countless young girls. She is grateful to have a platform to help others through the power of exemplary storytelling. As part of her mission to create commercial films that move audiences to enact social change she co-founded Straight Up Impact, a subdivision of Straight Up Films.
She oversees much of the company’s creative and business development. She is about to start pre-production on “Joseph Merrick,” based on the life of the Elephant Man and directed by award-winning filmmaker Kornél Mundruczó and produced by 7 time Academy Award winner Mike Medavoy and David Dobkin; a film adaptation of Viktor Frankl’s bestselling book “Man’s Search for Meaning,” chronicling his experiences in Nazi concentration camps and the power of his life-affirming, meaning-based therapy, produced with Tony Robbins; and the compelling short film series “Meaning in Madness” addressing root causes of a mental health crisis that has led to record anxiety, depression and suicide among youth.
Kate lives in LA with her husband and 9 year old son. They are on a collective mission to help kids have a better future.