Rob Nilsson is an award-winning director, writer, and sometimes actor. He is best known for his films NORTHERN LIGHTS, HEAT AND SUNLIGHT, SIGNAL 7, ON THE EDGE, and 9 @ Night series. 

Nilsson began making films after graduating from Harvard University. NORTHERN LIGHTS, co-directed with John Hanson, won the Camera d'Or (best first film) at the Cannes Film Festival. Nilsson also won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival for HEAT AND SUNLIGHT, making him the first American film director to have won both awards. 

NORTHERN LIGHTS was followed by the landmark independent film, SIGNAL 7. It is the first film to be successfully transferred from video to 35mm, an important step in the digital film revolution. SIGNAL 7 was executive-produced by Francis Ford Coppola. 

The 9 @ Night film series comes from Nilsson's time spent with the Tenderloin Group Players Ensemble, a group of homeless people who participated in improv acting workshops. Many of these individuals appear in his films as lead characters. His pioneering improvisation-based style allows for a unique approach to story telling. 

Nilsson is a pioneer in digital filmmaking, one of the first to use purely digital methods to create his pieces. He promoted digital filmmaking as a way to decrease the budget required for making a film and creating an intimate aesthetic. 

In the recent years retrospectives of Nilsson's work have taken place around the world. He continues to make films and write fiction, poetry, and film criticism.