Sydne Horton grew up adopted, curious, and queer in the Midwest, raised on teen movies and survival instincts, which now fuel her love for coming of age stories with bite. She writes and directs genre-blending narratives that explore identity, belonging, and the messy magic of self-discovery, told with horror, heart, and humor. Her short Saturday Ritual screened at the Cannes Film Festival as part of the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase. It also won the Best Teen Film Audience Award at NewFest and was a jury contender at Palm Springs ShortFest. Her horror short META was featured in the book I Spit On Your Celluloid: The History of Women Directing Horror Movies, and it was exhibited at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture for three months. Sydne is a 2026 Film Independent Project Involve Directing Fellow, and an alum of Women in Film’s Directing Mentorship and the Emmys Television Academy Internship.