Dara Messinger is an American filmmaker, curator, and documentary advocate based in New York City. She is best known for her role as Director of Programming at Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV).^[1], where she has played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s public programs and screenings.

Messinger was raised in Long Island, NY and studied at the The New School's Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts with Honors. She is Jewish.

A native New Yorker, Messinger has over two decades of experience in the documentary film industry, encompassing filmmaking, programming, and community engagement. She is a proud member of the Meerkat Media^[2], a New York-based filmmaking collective and cooperative.

At DCTV, Messinger has overseen numerous public programs and screenings. In 2022, she led the launch of Firehouse: DCTV’s Cinema for Documentary Film^[3], a 67-seat, single-screen cinema dedicated exclusively to nonfiction storytelling. Located in DCTV’s historic firehouse headquarters in Lower Manhattan, Firehouse Cinema has become a significant venue for first-run and curated documentary films, fostering community engagement and dialogue.

Messinger is active in the broader documentary community. She has been featured in discussions about microcinemas and independent film exhibition, including coverage by BBC Talking Movies^[4]. She has spoken on many panels, including speaking at Art House Convergence and UnionDocs. She has also served as a Creative Capital reviewer, Gotham mentor, competition juror at Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, and on the nominating committee for The Gothams^[5]

Messinger’s work as a filmmaker includes directing and producing several independent documentaries. Her credits include:​

Into the Streets (2014) – Director

Brasslands (2013) – Director

Brooklyn Boondoggle (2009) – Director​