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Rachel Caplan
- Location:
- United Kingdom, United States
- Languages:
- English
- Issues:
- Climate Change, Racial Injustice
- Expertise:
- Impact Producing, Consulting, Impact Strategist/Advisor, Campaign Implementation, Impact evaluation
- Cultural/racial identity:
- Jewish
- Self identification:
- female
Bio
Rachel Caplan is an award-winning festival producer, impact strategist, and environmental film curator with over 25 years of experience connecting audiences to films that inspire meaningful environmental and social action. After nearly two decades in California, she returned to her hometown of Edinburgh and now works as a freelance impact producer.
In 2023, Rachel co-founded and currently directs the Montrose LandxSea Film Festival, Scotland’s first environmental film festival, bringing together communities, filmmakers, and activists to address global challenges through cinema.
Rachel is the Impact Producer for the 2025 UK release of THE LAST MUSICIAN OF AUSCHWITZ, a powerful documentary exploring Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch’s story and the role of music in Auschwitz. She leads engagement strategies, partnerships, and outreach to bring the film to cinemas, communities, and educational settings across the UK.
Rachel currently contributes to global initiatives as a trainer and mentor for the University of the Arts London (UAL) Impact Storytelling Fellowship 2024/25, supporting innovative, impact-driven projects.
Previously, Rachel produced the national impact campaign for the BBC-funded documentary THE OIL MACHINE, organising over 170 events and engaging grassroots organisations to spark crucial dialogue on the North Sea oil and gas transition.
Rachel founded and led the San Francisco Green Film Festival (2010–2019), transforming it into a globally recognised platform for environmental storytelling. She also directed the International Ocean Film Festival (2007–2009), North America’s largest marine film showcase.
Rachel has held positions with film organisations in the UK and USA, including the Edinburgh, BFI London, and SFFILM International Film Festivals. She has been a guest lecturer on Environmental Communications at UC Berkeley (2013–2019) and is an active committee member of the Green Film Network (2013–present), a global association of over 30 film festivals supporting environmental filmmaking worldwide.
Rachel holds an MA in Cinema from the British Film Institute (BFI) and is a Documentary Chapter member of BAFTA.
