Miceal's profile
Miceál O'Donnell is a Baltimore-based filmmaker whose work moves between live action and 2D paper-puppet stop motion animation. His films explore the psychological process and the search for redeeming qualities within flawed or broken characters. Blending dark humor, bright moments, and pointed social commentary, His work reflects on how media shapes our perceptions of the world. His pieces are intentionally slower-paced, grounded in character, and often edged with satire.
His stop motion films Nicens Little Boy and Church Hat both developed through the Saul Zaentz Innovation Lab, with Church Hat also receiving funding support and featuring Emmy-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph. His recent stop motion short Heart Attack! premiered at the Sidewalk Film Festival, screened in Non-Films’ DarkRoom series, and was selected by the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival—named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s Top 25 Coolest Festivals.
Miceál recently produced Little Doors (dir. Anthony Oberbeck), alongside Graham Mason, Lexi Tannenholtz, and Eric Cotten, whose collective work has screened at SXSW, Sundance, and Cannes. He is a multi-time winner of the Baltimore Screenwriters Competition, placing first, second, and third in the feature category across different years. He has received multiple Maryland State Arts Council grants and is a United States Coast Guard veteran, where he earned the USCG Achievement Medal.
