Su Friedrich's films combine elements of narrative, documentary, and experimental styles of film-making and often focus on the roles of women, family, and homosexuality in contemporary America. From the onset of her career in the late 1970s, Friedrich has been a leading figure in avant-garde film-making and a pivotal force in the establishment of queer cinema. Her films have won many awards, including the Grand Prix at the Melbourne Film Festival and Outstanding Documentary at Outfest. Friedrich has received fellowships from the Rockefeller and Guggenheim Foundations, as well as numerous grants from the Jerome Foundation, NYFA, NYSCA, and ITVS. In 1995 she received the Cal Arts/Alpert Award. She currently teaches film and video production at Princeton University. She was a Pew Fellowships panelist in 2009.