My story here.
Nicholas J. Santore is a filmmaker and designer who grew up watching the Chicago Bulls with his grandma in the suburbs of Illinois and riding go-karts and BMX bikes with his little brother in the suburbs of Arizona. His upbringing sparked his love of producing coming-of-age and family focused films; including the short documentary NICK SANTORE (Chicago International Film Festival, Vimeo Staff Pick), which examines his own father-son relationship.
While in Chicago he founded a production studio where he produced branded films and content for Nike, Jordan, Uber, Intel, Wrangler Jeans, and Clif Bar. Upon his move to LA, he formed the motion picture collective COY COYOTE and produced MY DUDUŚ, a short documentary about a lonely mother raising a squirrel. The film premiered at SXSW, landed on The New York Times and PBS, received the Best Documentary and Audience Choice awards on Short of the Week, and went on to be named an Academy Award contender by The Hollywood Reporter.
Nicholas’ directorial debut short documentary BOUNCY BROTHERS follows the ups and downs of two brothers as one takes a second crack at the American Dream. The film recently premiered in competition for best short doc at the 2025 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival to kick off its festival run.
While in Chicago he founded a production studio where he produced branded films and content for Nike, Jordan, Uber, Intel, Wrangler Jeans, and Clif Bar. Upon his move to LA, he formed the motion picture collective COY COYOTE and produced MY DUDUŚ, a short documentary about a lonely mother raising a squirrel. The film premiered at SXSW, landed on The New York Times and PBS, received the Best Documentary and Audience Choice awards on Short of the Week, and went on to be named an Academy Award contender by The Hollywood Reporter.
Nicholas’ directorial debut short documentary BOUNCY BROTHERS follows the ups and downs of two brothers as one takes a second crack at the American Dream. The film recently premiered in competition for best short doc at the 2025 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival to kick off its festival run.