Lillian E. Benson, ACE
Lillian E. Benson, ACE, is a film and television editor of narrative films and documentaries. She discovered filmmaking while in college studying fine art. Benson began her career on the East Coast. In 1991, she was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the acclaimed civil rights series “Eyes On the Prize II” and has contributed to films that have garnered five Emmy nominations, four Peabody Awards, and numerous other honors. Her recent documentary credits include American Masters “Maya Angelou-And Still I Rise” and “Get In The Way- The Journey of John Lewis”. Benson edited eight seasons of the NBC TV series “Chicago Med” and previously worked on the series “Greenleaf” for OWN, and “Soul Food-the series” for Showtime. She collaborated with Debbie Allen on many projects, including the movie of the week “The Old Settler”, based on the play of the same name, and “Life Is Not a Fairytale- The Fantasia Barrino Story” for Lifetime. She is currently scheduled to complete the independent feature film, “Flash Before the Bang”, based on a true story.
Benson is the first African-American woman to become a member of American Cinema Editors, and in 2022, they honored her with their Career Achievement Award for her body of work. She gives back to the editing community, serving on the ACE board of directors as Secretary, and as a member of the board of the Motion Picture Editors Guild. In 2017, she received the Editors Guild’s prestigious Fellowship and Service Award. Recently, on May 1st, 2025, she was awarded the Black Public Media 2025 Trailblazer Award for her contributions to the documentary film community.
Benson is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Film Editors Branch and the Television Academy. She continues to help the next generation of editors as chair of the ACE Diversity in Editing Mentoring Committee and co-chair of the Motion Picture Editors Guild’s Diversity Committee.