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Joan Churchill

Joan Churchill

Cinematographer and director, also producer

BAFTA Award winner · 1 other major award body

Joan Churchill is an American cinematographer and filmmaker. She is a graduate of UCLA Film School. Churchill is known for Soldier Girls (1981), Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003) and Lily Tomlin (1986).

Biography from TMDB.

Works as
Cinematographer and director, also producer
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 45 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Up 7% in 30 days

What are Joan Churchill's films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
29%
Morality
25%
Survival
20%
Ideas
16%
Power
8%
Self
3%
Justice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFame2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMental illness2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 4 · Dark 8

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 16 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 6 · Intense 8

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 11 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 7 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 8

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 12 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
12
Tense
10
Melancholic
4
Dread
4
Warm
4
Other
14

How their films linger

Thought-provoking16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous9

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Joan Churchill's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Joan Churchill's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

45 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Who Tells the Story? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director

  • Robert Irwin: A Desert of Pure Feeling(2022)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Shoot from the Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director

  • Medicating Normal (2020)(2022)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Bedlam(2019)

    Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Last Days in Vietnam(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Citizen Koch(2013)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Sarah Palin: You Betcha! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • Miller's Tale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Additional Camera

  • Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood(2009)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Carrier(2008)

    Show Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Battle for Haditha(2007)

    Additional Camera

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • His Big White Self (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Cinematographer

  • Who Needs Sleep? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Cinematographer

  • Shut Up & Sing(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Home of the Brave(2004)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer(2003)

    Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Jimi Plays Berkeley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Camera Operator

  • Concert for George(2003)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Biggie & Tupac(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Down from the Mountain(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Twilight: Los Angeles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Cinematographer

  • Tripping (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Cinematographer

  • Kurt & Courtney(1998)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Asylum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • Juvenile Liaison 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • Stella Adler: Awake and Dream! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • Comic Book Confidential(1988)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Under the Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Cinematographer

  • Lily Tomlin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • Anarchism in America(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Soldier Girls(1981)

    Director · Camera Operator · Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Rush (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • 80 Blocks from Tiffany's (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • Tattooed Tears (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director

  • Evening Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Cinematographer

  • Pumping Iron(1977)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Marriage Guidance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director

  • Juvenile Liaison (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Producer

  • A Poem Is a Naked Person(1974)

    Additional Photography

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • An American Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 12 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Celebration at Big Sur(1971)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer · Sound Editor

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Punishment Park(1971)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Gimme Shelter(1970)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Sylvia, Fran and Joy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 40 titles, 39 of them dated from 1970 to 2023.

Biggest box office

Shut Up & Sing (2006)

$1.9M worldwide

Highest rated

Last Days in Vietnam (2014)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Punishment Park (1971)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing13 of 40: 7 only directing, 6 with another roleProducing1 of 40: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography25 of 40: 19 only cinematography, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score84thEditing1 of 40: 0 only editing, 1 with another roleOther crew9 of 40: 8 only other crew, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score84th

40 titles, 6 with more than one role — cinematography and directing overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1970s10 · crew1980s8 · crew1990s4 · crew2000s10 · crew2010s4 · crew2020s3 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

a BAFTA Award and 1 other major award from 4 major nominations, 1982–1992.

WinNomination
  1. 1992
    • Sundance award, nominated · Documentary
  2. 1987
    • Sundance award, nominated · Documentary
  3. 1982
    • BAFTA Award, won
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Sundance award, won · Documentary

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Joan Churchill's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 85th percentile, the median of all 22; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 88th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

88thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th2

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 23 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · cinematographer

Robert Irwin: A Desert of Pure Feeling (2022)

91st percentile spread · 21% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Medicating Normal (2020) (2022)

Midcredits 97th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 57/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 62, detractors 21. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Joan Churchill work with?

People who share at least 2 of Joan Churchill's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Nick Broomfield shares the most, 4.

Directors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers