Desert Penguin Pictures
Desert Penguin Pictures
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Welcome to Desert Penguin Pictures

Welcome to Desert Penguin PicturesWelcome to Desert Penguin PicturesWelcome to Desert Penguin Pictures

Desert Penguin Pictures is headed by Cathleen O’Connell, 

an independent documentary producer based in Boston.

Welcome to Desert Penguin Pictures

Welcome to Desert Penguin PicturesWelcome to Desert Penguin PicturesWelcome to Desert Penguin Pictures

Desert Penguin Pictures is headed by Cathleen O’Connell, 

an independent documentary producer based in Boston.

Who We Are

About Cathleen

Cathleen O’Connell is an independent documentary producer based in Boston. Her films shine a light on lesser known but important facets of American culture – stories found when you exit the interstate and pull onto blue highways and back roads. Her broadcast credits include non-fiction programming for PBS, Animal Planet, The History Channel and Discovery Channel. 

About Desert Penguins

We love deserts and we love penguins, hence Desert Penguin Pictures. (Although someone once said it sounded like a Zen kōan, and we like that as an origin story as well.) Team Desert Penguin is a pool of talented collaborators - a flock of rare birds, although we don't wear tuxedos very often. (Above is a Scottish penguin at the Edinburgh Zoo. When traveling, Desert Penguins seek out their brothers and sisters around the world.)

Productions

The Perfect Crime (American Experience/ PBS)

The shocking story of Leopold and Loeb and the "Crime of the Century"

Producer/Director

Ripley: Believe It Or Not (American Experience/PBS)

Biography of Robert "Believe It Or Not" Ripley

Producer/Director/Writer

War of The Worlds (American Experience/ PBS)

Orson Welles' infamous 1938 radio broadcast

Producer/Director

Sousa On The Rez

A documentary about contemporary and historical Native American marching bands. A co-production with Vision Maker Media and produced in association with the Center for Independent Documentary

Producer/Director/Writer

The Best Way Is By Hand

  • New England Online Film Festival, 2020  (*Jury Prize - Runner Up Short Docs)
  • Boston GlobeDocs, 2019
  • IFFBoston, 2019
  • Femme Film Fest Lowell, 2019
  • Waltham Film Factory Shorts Fest, 2018* (*Film Factory Pick Award)


B

Time Capsule: Message In A Bottle

The past, present, and future of time capsules

Producer/Director/Writer/Editor 

Screen entire film on YouTube

ADDITIONAL CREDITS

Latino Americans (PBS) - Recreation Producer Hours 1 & 2 • About Face (Nat'l Center for PTSD/VA) - Production Coordinator • God In America (PBS) - Co-Producer Hour 1 & 2 • We Shall Remain (PBS) - Co-producer Hour 1 •  Welcome To The Club: The Women of Rockabilly - Archival Researcher  • River of Song (PBS) - Coordinating Producer  • all sorts of stuff on the IMDB page

What's new?/Now playing!

"The Beautiful Worlds of David Riley"

Play trailer above.


Inspired by pop culture, TV, and the urban landscape, a self-taught artist 

discovers a hidden talent i n his 40s. David Riley was exposed to 

high levels of lead as a child, which continues to impact 

his mental and physical health.

But does his disability also fuel his creativity – and can his art help him to heal?   


OFFICIAL SELECTION

Newburyport Documentary Film Festival - 2022 

(Special Jury Award) 


GlobeDocs Film Festival- 2022


Find out more about David and his work at www.davidrileyartist.com


Contact Us

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