Joshua Dawson is a Los Angeles-based film director and speculative designer whose work The New York Times describes as “both slightly absurd and eminently believable.” Trained as an architect, he positions the built environment as a protagonist in his films to examine the effects of water politics, resource extraction, and climate change on marginalized communities. His work has been recognized by both architectural and mainstream media. His films have premiered at international festivals, earning honors such as the Jury Prize for Best Science Fiction Film at the Oscar-qualifying Cinequest Film Festival and a Core77 Design Award.
He also works as a World Builder and Conceptual Design consultant for Hollywood and international productions, most recently credited as the Worldbuilding Architect on the Netflix original anime series Tokyo Override.
He holds a Master's degree in Advanced Architectural Studies from the University of Southern California.
Official Film Festival Selections:
2016: AnthropoScene Film Festival, Sydney
2018 & 2023: Architecture Film Festival, Rotterdam
2019: Cinequest, San Jose, California
2019: Arquiteturas Film Festival Lisbon, Portugal
2019: Move Cine Arte, Sao Paolo, Brazil
2019: ArchCine Film Festival Rio de Janeiro
2019: Cinetekton Film Festival, Mexico
2020 & 2021: Fiber Festival, Amsterdam
2021: Chattanooga Film Festival, Tennessee
2021: Supernova, Denver Digital Art Festival, Colorado
2021: Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival, Brooklyn
2021: Plokta Film Festival, Netherlands
2022: FedaxValdivia Film Festival, Chile
2023: Sydney Science fiction film festival, Sydney
2023: FREIBURG FILMFORUM Festival of
Transcultural Cinema, Freiburg Germany
2023: Sci-Fi-London, London
2023: Climate Future Film Festival, Rhode Island
2023: Athens digital arts festival, Greece
2023: BNP Paribas Green Film Festival
2023: Sydney Science Fiction film festival
2023: Hudson Valley Film Festival
2023: Silbersalz Science & Media Festival, Halle, Germany
2024: VENICE ARCHITECTURE FILM FESTIVAL
2018 & 2023: Architecture Film Festival, Rotterdam
2019: Cinequest, San Jose, California
2019: Arquiteturas Film Festival Lisbon, Portugal
2019: Move Cine Arte, Sao Paolo, Brazil
2019: ArchCine Film Festival Rio de Janeiro
2019: Cinetekton Film Festival, Mexico
2020 & 2021: Fiber Festival, Amsterdam
2021: Chattanooga Film Festival, Tennessee
2021: Supernova, Denver Digital Art Festival, Colorado
2021: Brooklyn SciFi Film Festival, Brooklyn
2021: Plokta Film Festival, Netherlands
2022: FedaxValdivia Film Festival, Chile
2023: Sydney Science fiction film festival, Sydney
2023: FREIBURG FILMFORUM Festival of
Transcultural Cinema, Freiburg Germany
2023: Sci-Fi-London, London
2023: Climate Future Film Festival, Rhode Island
2023: Athens digital arts festival, Greece
2023: BNP Paribas Green Film Festival
2023: Sydney Science Fiction film festival
2023: Hudson Valley Film Festival
2023: Silbersalz Science & Media Festival, Halle, Germany
2024: VENICE ARCHITECTURE FILM FESTIVAL
awards:
2014: Kenneth johnson memorial scholarship (USC)
2016: Gesundheit travelling fellowship (usc)
2018: IGEN 50 architects and designers of 2018 changing our lifestyles and city skylines
2019: Jury Prize for best Science Fiction film at the Academy Award-qualifying
Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California
2023: Core77 Design Awards - Professional Notable honor
2016: Gesundheit travelling fellowship (usc)
2018: IGEN 50 architects and designers of 2018 changing our lifestyles and city skylines
2019: Jury Prize for best Science Fiction film at the Academy Award-qualifying
Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California
2023: Core77 Design Awards - Professional Notable honor
lectures/talks:
2018: USC ARCHITECTURE GENERATION NEXT
2019: ARUP-SPECULATIVE FUTURES LA
2020: WORLD FUTURES SOCIETY - WORLD BUILDING
2020: FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY - COLLECTIVE
& CRITICAL DESIGN THINKING
2021: DIGITAL FUTURES - ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
2022: COMMUNICATION UNIVERSITY OF CHINA
2023: University of Michigan - MEDIATED URBANISMS
2023: West Edge Design Fair - How AI Will Revolutionize the D&A Industrial Complex?