Jessie j. Rowlands is an award-winning screenwriter and film director from London.

Specializing in emotionally resonant, coming-of-age dramas blending sports and action elements, Jessie started her career by making history winning consecutive UCLA screenwriting awards in both feature film and television drama. since then, her scripts have been recognized by major festivals and competitions around the world and she now works as a screenwriter for top-tier hollywood production companies.

jessie’s directorial debut, RISE, premiered at the prestigious tribeca festival in 2025. Rise is a COMING-OF-AGE BOXING DRAMA, inspired by a true story, starring hollywood actor tongayi chirisa and 8-year-old breakout star sikhanyiso ngwenya, who jessie found through a street casting process. rise was shot entirely on location in zimbabwe - where jessie spent some of her childhood - WITH AN ALl-AFRICAN team, in conjunction with the community that inspired the film. rise was the first zimbabwean film in history to qualify for consideration at the academy awards, and has been publicly celebrated by industry titans such as viola davis, thuso mbedu & misan harriman.

jessie holds Law degrees both from the university of london and the University of Chicago law school, specializing in international human rights.

Jessie is attached to direct her first feature film in 2026 with a major hollywood production company. She also wrote the script.

Outside of filmmaking, Jessie loves all sports, woodworking, climbing mountains and painting. she works with arts initiatives across Zimbabwe, has volunteered on a shark research project in mozambique, is an advanced scuba diver and learnt to fly airplanes solo. in 2015, she was the fastest british woman to complete the polar circle marathon, and the youngest competitor in history. she’s also a world class insomniac.

Her work will get you fired up and then make you cry, with a few laughs along the way, because what is the point of life if not to feel everything?