Jay Craven is a screenwriter, film director, and producer. His credits include the award-winning feature films, Where the Rivers Flow North (1994), A Stranger in the Kingdom (1998), and The Year That Trembled (2002). His other credits include the Emmy Award-winning television series Windy Acres (2004) and the short films, High Water (1989), Gayleen (1986), and Dawn of the People (1984). He has been a leading figure in the independent feature film movement in the United States. He has also worked on casting and as a production consultant for the feature films Spitfire Grill and Ethan Frome. In 1991, Craven cofounded Kingdom County Productions (KCP), a nonprofit organization established for the purpose of developing regional literary works into film (most prominently Where the Rivers Flow North and A Stranger in the Kingdom). Craven's awards include the 1998 Vermont Governor's Award for Artistic Excellence. His feature films have been screened widely in national and international film festivals, garnering top awards and critical acclaim. His feature film work has been supported through prestigious grants including one from the National Endowment for the Arts and one from the MacDowell Colony.