MinxFilms are Francesca Di Amico and Claudia Unger. Together, they make cheeky cinema for commercial, creative, and humanitarian applications — moving between biographical documentaries, ad shorts, and human rights storytelling with an instinct for memorable photography and emotional precision that is deeply hands-on.
In 2010, MinxFilms started as a boutique production house and creative agency that has since produced more than 225 short films ranging from 1 to 30 minutes. MinxFilms utilized small crews and adaptive production methods long before lean production became commonplace in the industry. The studio became known for making ambitious work that is whimsical and emotionally driven, with a strong point of view and a committed, hand-crafted approach to visual language.
Commercial films are treated with the same visual discipline and expressive intelligence as the documentaries, where tone, photography, and a graphic framework carry equal weight to the message. Developed over the years, the studio's method adapts fluidly across formats while remaining deeply responsive to the subject at hand.
Feature projects include Mary Woronov: Cult Queen and Stan Bitters: Ask the Dust. Partnerships with leaders in art, architecture, and design — including heritage brand Brown Jordan — have remained a defining part of our work for more than a decade. Our ongoing relationship with Kounkuey Design Initiative, whose pioneering approach to community-driven design has been recognized by The Rockefeller Foundation and UN-Habitat, has led to projects advocating for human rights. Partnerships with organizations including Planned Parenthood and Equality California have produced more than 30 films with MinxFilms since 2017.
MinxFilms considers not only the story being told, but the conditions under which an audience encounters it — how scale, environment, projection, and context alter an emotional experience. This has led to unconventional forms of exhibition, including guerrilla projections, installations, and site-responsive screenings that challenge traditional viewing conventions.
Francesca and Claudia together have received 33 film awards, including a Smithsonian honor for work exploring young filmmakers and the intersection of art and politics. MinxFilms now collaborates with artists, institutions, and creative companies seeking work with a distinct point of view that builds relationships and engagement with their unique audiences over time.
✳ Certified Women-Owned Business
Director & Writer
A Palm Springs native and writer-director of commercials and films. Recipient of 29 Film Awards including the C. Van Winkle Award for creating programs about young filmmakers, and the intersections of art and politics.
She graduated from Art Center College of Design, breeding ground to filmmakers like Michael Bay, Sofia Coppola, and Zack Snyder.
francescadiamico@me.com
Director & Photographer
A commercial and fine art photographer. Her exhibition "The Name of the Land" sold in its entirety. Born in Germany, Claudia moved to California to study photography at Art Center College of Design.
In 1994 she was recruited by UPI to shoot editorial and advertising campaigns for Premiere Magazine and Entertainment Weekly. For two consecutive years, recognized by the Lucie Awards and honored at the Lincoln Center. Women in Photography awarded her "Outstanding Achievement in Fine Art Photography".
claudiaunger@me.com