Elizabeth Coffman, PhD

Professor

Elizabeth Coffman serves as a Professor in the Film and Digital Media Program for Loyola Chicago's School of Communication. She is an active documentary filmmaker and film scholar. Her NEH-sponsored film Flannery on Catholic writer Flannery O’Connor was the first winner for the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns prize for film, broadcast on American Masters in 2021. Elizabeth has worked at Loyola University Chicago since 2004, serving as department chair for Communication and director of the Film and Digital Media Program. She supports Chicago film and video history, serving on the board of the Media Burn Archive for independent video.

Education

Doctor of Philosophy in English (Cinema Studies), University of Florida, 1995

Master of Arts in English, University of Florida, 1990

Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science, Duke University, 1987

Research Interests

Elizabeth has produced feature films and installations with partner Ted Hardin and their company Long Distance Productions on writers, environmental crises and nation-building. She has published on documentary history, from early avant-garde shorts to contemporary video and film collectives. Most recently, her documentary on writer Flannery O'Connor broadcast on PBS's American Masters series (2021). She served as a co-executive producer for Ethan Hawke's biopic on O'Connor, Wildcat (2024).

Professional/Community Affiliations

Beyond Loyola, Dr. Coffman has served as a trustee for the University Film and Video Foundation and has been an active member on numerous advisory boards for schools, as well as various film, video, and documentary organizations.

Courses Taught

Comedy in Film & TV
Documentary Production
Documentary Studies
Environmental Advocacy
Film Genre
Intro to Cinema
Producing for Film and Digital Media
Science Fiction and Environment
Video Production
Women in Film & TV

Awards

Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film for Flannery