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Lorena David

Lorena David

Producer, director and editor

Lorena David is a Los-Angeles-bred filmmaker whose career spans producing, directing, and editing feature films, documentaries, short films, and television. While still a student at UC San Diego, she co-founded a film production company—launching her path as a creative leader before even arriving in Hollywood. Soon after, she forged a long-standing partnership with producer Mark Roberts, and together they produced twelve feature films—including the cult comedy “Strangers With Candy” and the indie thriller “Danika,” starring Marisa Tomei. Over that same period, Lorena stepped behind the camera herself to direct four additional features. When the recession slowed independent filmmaking, Lorena pivoted seamlessly into television. She not only became a sought-after reality-TV editor, but also executive produced popular series including the car-competition show “My Ride Rules” (26 episodes for SPEED), the Travel Channel special “Ghostly Lovers,” and CNBC’s “The Car Chasers.” Her editing career has since flourished across major networks—SPIKE, E!, VH1, ABC Family, CNBC, SPEED, BRAVO, Food Network, TLC, and A&E—showcasing her sharp storytelling instincts and versatility. Most recently, Lorena reunited with Mark Roberts for a fresh slate of Christmas films—editing two and, in a triumphant return to the director’s chair, directing and editing a third (THE CHRISTMAS SPARK), marking her full-circle return to moviemaking.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Works as
Producer, director and editor
Titles
17 on MovieCove · 22 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 157 days to Oct 28Down 33% in 30 days

What are Lorena David's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 16th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 24th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
36%
Self
17%
Survival
16%
Power
11%
Morality
9%
Society
7%
Ideas
5%
Family bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 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 8 · Serious 0 · Dark 4

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 5 · Intense 2

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

A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 7 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Joyful
5
Hopeful
5
Warm
5
Absurd
3
Other
14

How their films linger

Feel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet4
  • Ambiguous6
  • Cyclical1

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 Lorena David's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Lorena David'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

22 credits, 17 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Christmas Spark(2025)

    Director · Editor

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Once Upon a Christmas Wish(2024)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Steppin' Into the Holiday(2022)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Love and Betrayal on the Force(2020)

    Additional Editor · Second Unit Director

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Little Life on the Prairie(2018)

    Show Editor

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Becoming Us(2015)

    Show Editor

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all shows

  • I Am Jazz(2015)

    Show Editor

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all shows

  • Water & Power(2013)

    Co-Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Love Just Is (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Editor

  • Scrappers(2010)

    Show Editor

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Coverup(2008)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Gits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Editor

  • Dark Ride(2006)

    Co-Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Strangers with Candy(2005)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Danika(2005)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Extreme Dating(2004)

    Director · Editor

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Outta Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • Poor White Trash(2000)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

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

    Director · Additional Editing

  • Bravo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director

  • Single Action(1998)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Plump Fiction(1997)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 15 titles from 1997 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Strangers with Candy (2005)

$2.3M worldwide

Highest rated

Steppin' Into the Holiday (2022)

Midcredits 70th

Most popular right now

Danika (2005)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing5 of 15: 3 only directing, 2 with another roleProducing7 of 15: 7 only producing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score24thEditing4 of 15: 2 only editing, 2 with another roleOther crew2 of 15: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

15 titles, 3 with more than one role.

By decade

1990s3 · crew2000s8 · crew2010s2 · crew2020s2 · 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.

How do Lorena David's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 24th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 22nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

22ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

28thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 17 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th9

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 17 titles are Mixed.

  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive5
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · editor

I Am Jazz (2015)

98th percentile spread · 56% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, editor

The Christmas Spark (2025)

Midcredits 78th · 66% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 52/100 and the pacing 36/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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 Lorena David work with?

People who share at least 2 of Lorena David's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Mark Roberts shares the most, 12.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers