Career
The film was one of the first film releases to depict a lesbian love story in a generally mainstream, albeit art house, vein but with positive and respectful themes. Deitch also directed the mini-series The Women of Brewster Place. Donna Deitch segued from award-winning documentary filmmaker to producing and directing Desert Hearts, the landmark hit of the 1986 Sundance, Telluride, and Toronto Film Festivals.
The film was picked up for worldwide distribution by The Samuel Goldwyn Company.
Shortly after seeing the film, Oprah Winfrey hired Deitch to direct the Emmy-nominated four-hour mini-series The Women of Brewster Place. Deitch directed four pilots subsequent to the success of Brewster Place, three of which were picked up for series, including Second Noah.
She has directed numerous episodes of one-hour dramas including New York City Police Department Blue, Emergency, Murder One, Law and Order: SVU, EZ Streets, The Visitor, Dragnet, Crossing Jordan, Heroes, Private Practice, and others She directed the pilot episode of The North"s, South of Nowhere.
She is currently working on obtaining the financing for Blonde Ghost, adapted from the best-selling book, Stella, by Peter Wyden, which takes place in Berlin during World World War World War II She has recently completed the screenplay.
She is writing a sequel to her 1986 film Desert Hearts.