clare cooney

"This marks the directorial debut of one of the Windy City’s brightest artistic talents, Clare Cooney.  'Runner' solidifies Cooney’s status as a filmmaker of immense promise." - Roger Ebert Critic Matt Fagerholm

“It’s always exciting to witness a filmmaker who demonstrates an acute sense of storytelling right off the bat in their very first movie. She’s not only the lead in the deft new thriller, but the newbie wrote, produced, edited, and directed it too. Cooney seems to be an absolute natural. Expect this incredible talent to become a star very soon, both in front of the camera and behind it.” - Jeff York, The Establishing Shot

"An extremely auspicious directorial debut for Cooney, who is better known for her work as an actress (she’s a performer of uncommon depth). - Michael Glover Smith, TimeOut Chicago

“Cooney can say more with staring, lidded eyes than most actresses can with pages of dialogue. If there is a God, she should be a major star.” - Jeff York, The Establishing Shot

"Charismatic Cooney, a real presence, here strongly resembles a young Colleen Camp with acerbic brass to match. She understands that the key to allure is to underplay and draw us to her, and she’s always the smartest person in the room.” - ChicagoFilm.com

Actor Award for BIRD OF PREY

Clare received a special mention award for Outstanding Acting at Sidewalk Film Festival for her performance in a short film called Bird of Prey, directed by Sundance & SXSW director Marion Hill. Watch the film online.