Ioanna is a documentary filmmaker and editor based in Athens, Greece. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to immersive storytelling that brings audiences into new worlds and perspectives. She focuses on multicultural narratives, exploring the lives and voices of marginalized and lesser-heard communities, with a particular interest in social and environmental issues. Through a sensitive and observant lens, she seeks to challenge dominant narratives, amplify underrepresented stories, and spark meaningful dialogue. ​ In recent years, she has worked as a videographer and editor across a wide range of projects for media outlets such as the Associated Press (AP), NGOs, and international organizations. She has collaborated on field missions with organizations such as IOM in Bangladesh documenting stories on the ground in complex and diverse contexts. Her work also includes collaborations with international production companies and creative networks, including Casual Films, the Daniil Simkin Foundation, The Deep Creative Collective, etc.

Ioanna Spanou

Ioanna is a documentary filmmaker and editor based in Athens, Greece. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to immersive storytelling that brings audiences into new worlds and perspectives. She focuses on multicultural narratives, exploring the lives and voices of marginalized and lesser-heard communities, with a particular interest in social and environmental issues. Through a sensitive and observant lens, she seeks to challenge dominant narratives, amplify underrepresented stories, and spark meaningful dialogue. ​ In recent years, she has worked as a videographer and editor across a wide range of projects for media outlets such as the Associated Press (AP), NGOs, and international organizations. She has collaborated on field missions with organizations such as IOM in Bangladesh documenting stories on the ground in complex and diverse contexts. Her work also includes collaborations with international production companies and creative networks, including Casual Films, the Daniil Simkin Foundation, The Deep Creative Collective, etc.

Available to hire

Ioanna is a documentary filmmaker and editor based in Athens, Greece. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to immersive storytelling that brings audiences into new worlds and perspectives. She focuses on multicultural narratives, exploring the lives and voices of marginalized and lesser-heard communities, with a particular interest in social and environmental issues. Through a sensitive and observant lens, she seeks to challenge dominant narratives, amplify underrepresented stories, and spark meaningful dialogue.

In recent years, she has worked as a videographer and editor across a wide range of projects for media outlets such as the Associated Press (AP), NGOs, and international organizations. She has collaborated on field missions with organizations such as IOM in Bangladesh documenting stories on the ground in complex and diverse contexts. Her work also includes collaborations with international production companies and creative networks, including Casual Films, the Daniil Simkin Foundation, The Deep Creative Collective, etc.

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Language

English
Advanced
Italian
Advanced
Greek, Modern
Fluent

Work Experience

Video Journalist / Producer at Associated Press
January 1, 2017 - Present
Journalist and producer contributing video content to AP's news coverage.
Freelance Filmmaker / Editor at Self-employed
January 1, 2017 - Present
Freelance documentary and short film projects including The Unspoken Dance (co-director/editor, 2025), Hallelujah (director, 2022), Unseen Exodus (co-director/editor, 2024–ongoing), Lethe (director, 2021).
Video Editor / Journalist at ERT - Hellenic Broadcasting Company
December 1, 2020 - June 1, 2021
Video editor and journalist for public broadcaster.
Videographer / Photographer at Sputnik News Greece
August 1, 2018 - November 1, 2020
Video journalism and photography for Sputnik News Greece.
Photographer / Videographer at 24 Media Lab & Websites
July 1, 2021 - August 1, 2024
Photography and videography for media lab and websites.
Videographer at LIFO
September 1, 2024 - May 1, 2025
Videography for LIFO Greece.

Education

Master of Science in Culture and Documentary Production at Columbia University - Graduate School
January 1, 2020 - January 1, 2022
Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Media and Culture - Journalism at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2016

Qualifications

Columbia Journalism Workshop for Professionals
June 1, 2018 - June 1, 2018

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Professional Services