Robin Hessman is an American documentary filmmaker and producer known for her international, Russia-focused storytelling. She earned a dual degree in Russian and Film from Brown University and a graduate degree in film directing from the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow, graduating with a "red diploma" of honors. As a student, she won a Student Academy Award with co-director James Longley for the short film Portrait of Boy with Dog (1994).