By Marchelle Thurman
Welcome to NYWIFT, Joy Jorgensen!
I had the pleasure of interviewing Joy, the powerhouse producer and founder of Killjoy Films. Joy has built a space where filmmakers with bold, distinct voices can take creative risks while still building sustainable careers. With films like We Strangers (SXSW 2024), Runner (TIFF 2022), and Homebody (Outfest 2021), Joy has carved out an incredible path in independent film.
A Sundance and Rotterdam Producing Fellow and adjunct professor at NYU Tisch Graduate Film, she splits her time between Berlin and New York, continuing to nurture the next generation of fearless storytellers.
NYWIFT Member Joy Jorgensen
Tell us about yourself — what’s your elevator pitch?
I’m Joy Jorgensen, a producer and founder of Killjoy Films. I love supporting directors with distinct voices and helping them navigate the intersection between artistry and the market.
What brought you to NYWIFT?
Producer therapy. Producers are the unsung heroes of so many shoots, quietly holding everything together while making sure everyone else can shine. We spend so much time troubleshooting and advocating for others that we rarely get space to reflect, share, or celebrate what we do.
NYWIFT felt like a community that recognizes that labor—the emotional, creative, and logistical work that makes films possible. I joined NYWIFT to be in conversation with people who truly understand the unique highs and lows of producing.
What inspired you to create Killjoy Films?
I wanted a company that could nurture independent films without waiting for permission. Killjoy Films is a space for collaborators who value craft and persistence, where we can take creative risks while still building sustainable careers.
You split your time between Brooklyn and Berlin — quite the dynamic duo of cities! What led you to base your work in both places?
Berlin is such a special city and has access to European funding, talent, and co-production opportunities, while New York keeps me close to collaborators and the American film industry.
How does producing in Europe differ from the United States, and how do you navigate those differences?
In Europe, public funding plays a major role, so the pace can be slower but more stable. In the U.S., it’s faster and more entrepreneurial, with riskier financing but greater agility. I try to bridge both systems, applying the European emphasis on development with the relative speed and flexibility of American productions.
Has your acting background shaped the way you approach producing?
Even when I was an actor (100 years ago), I was most interested in the creative and operational side of a huge team all working toward the same goal. The baton pass from script to prep to production to post to distribution seemed like a miracle to me—so many hands hold even a small film.
The actors are the most visible of those hands, yet often have the least control over the project’s direction. It’s a dynamic for a particularly brave person, and I have deep admiration for those willing to be that vulnerable.
Acting taught me how to communicate with directors and performers from a place of empathy and to always advocate for the story’s integrity throughout development and production.
Congrats on Runner’s incredible success, including top awards at the Göteborg and San Sebastián International Film Festivals! What was your biggest takeaway from that experience?
For me, Runner was a lesson in how essential the relationship between a director and producer really is. At its best, it’s two people trying to make the same film. When a director knows that you, as the producer, see the film the same way they do, they can trust you to protect that vision both in process and in product. That trust becomes the foundation that carries the film through every phase. The success of Runner was proof of that kind of collaboration with the director, Marian Mathias.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned on your creative journey?
Don’t hold too tight to any idea of how a film, or a career, should go.
A directing professor of mine at NYU Grad Film, Alexandre Rockwell, would always say directing is about setting traps to catch butterflies. I actually didn’t get along with him that well, but he was completely right. Good plans are just setting the dynamic to capture something spectacular.
That’s true in film and it’s true in life. You can prepare, strategize, and build the net but what arrives is going to be better than what you are able to imagine beforehand.
What’s next on the horizon for you?
We’re in post-production on Erin Vassilopoulos’ film Destroy All Girls, a coming-of-age skater film set in Union City, NJ.
I’m also in LA right now in pre-production on Joseph Sackett’s next film, From Another Planet, a queer sci-fi rom-com.
Beyond that, I’m in development on a few other narrative feature projects—and honestly, development is the most fun part.
Connect with Joy Jorgensen on her website www.killjoyfilms.de and follow her on Instagram at @killjoyfilmsde.
(All images courtesy of Joy Jorgensen)
Marchelle Thurman
Marchelle Thurman is originally from the suburbs of Chicago and graduated from NYU with a BFA with honors in Theater. She is a New York-based actor, writer, producer, director, and voice over artist. The 10-time award-winning feature film Black White and the Greys, which she acted in, wrote, directed, and produced, recently became available on Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube. Some of her favorite acting credits include FBI, Law & Order, Dynasty, NCIS: New Orleans, and How to Tell You’re a Douchebag (2016 Sundance Festival). She loves traveling, baking, and rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Comments are closed