Jovanna Tosello — Press
Brazilian-American film director, animator & creative director. New York City.
Emmy Award winner · NAACP Image Award winner · GLAAD nominated · ADC Silver Cube · AG Publisher Award (NYT) · MacDowell Fellow · Swatch Art Peace Hotel
Biography
Short:
Jovanna Tosello is a Brazilian-American Emmy Award-winning film director, animator, and creative director based in New York City. Known for her art direction on We the People (Netflix) and work on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, she is a CalArts alumna, MacDowell Fellow, and ADC Silver Cube recipient.
Long:
Jovanna Tosello is a Brazilian-American film director, animator, and creative director with over 15 years of experience across animation, broadcast, and brand design. Her art direction on We the People (Netflix, 2021) earned a Children's & Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Program and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Animated Series. The same project received a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Children's Programming. She contributed as background designer on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023, Sony Pictures Animation), which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Her television credits include The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, TripTank, and Community (NBC). Her debut short film The Magical Theater (2010) won Best Short Film at the Los Angeles Animation Festival. Additional recognition includes an ADC Silver Cube (2022), AG Publisher Award from The New York Times, Latin American Ilustración 8 win, a MacDowell Fellowship, and a Swatch Art Peace Hotel residency. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she studied at CalArts and USC, and is based in New York City.
Press Assets
- Headshot (hi-res, 300dpi) — request by email
- Press kit (PDF) — download
- IMDb profile — full filmography
Awards & Recognition
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Children's & Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Short Form Program — We the People | Won |
| 2023 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Animated Series — We the People | Won |
| 2023 | GLAAD Media Awards | Outstanding Children's Programming — We the People | Nominated |
| 2022 | ADC Annual Awards | Silver Cube — Local Flavors | Won |
| 2022 | AG Publisher Award · New York Times | Editorial art direction | Won |
| 2021 | Latin American Ilustración 8 | Illustration | Won |
| 2018 | Emmy Award | Outstanding Variety Talk Series — The Daily Show | Nominated |
| 2012 | Los Angeles Animation Festival | Best Short Film — The Magical Theater | Won |
| 2012 | Adobe Awards | Best Short Film — The Magical Theater | Semi-finalist |
Selected Credits
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse | Background Designer | Sony Pictures Animation |
| 2021 | We the People | Art Director | Netflix · Emmy & NAACP winner |
| 2017–18 | The Daily Show with Trevor Noah | GFX Lead & Graphic Artist | Comedy Central · Seasons 22–23 |
| 2015–16 | TripTank | Art Director | Comedy Central |
| 2014 | Community | Animator | NBC · Ep. "G.I. Jeff" |
| 2010 | The Magical Theater | Director | Short film · LA Animation Festival winner |
Press Coverage
- Cartoon Brew — "The Magical Porno Theater by Jovanna Tosello"
- Kaltblut Magazine — "Focus: Jovanna Tosello"
- Spine Magazine — Jovanna Tosello profile
- HuffPost — "Animated Film: Obama 'Fired Up'"
- Voyage LA — "Meet Jovanna Tosello"
- The Glossary — "Artist Profile: Jovanna Tosello"
- Great Women Animators — Jovanna Tosello profile
- Stash Media — "Fired Up / Goodbye"
- Rookie Magazine — "Dreamscapes"
- CalArts Blog — Animation Block Party