Multitude Films is a company that produces documentaries on social issues such as «Life After» и «"Pray away"» , is transitioning to a non-profit model under new management.
The company's co-founder, producer Anya Rus, will assume the role of president after eight years as vice president. Rus will lead the company in its new 501(c)(3) form, along with a newly formed board of directors, including the Center's Director of Constitutional Rights Nadia Ben-Youssef, the Director of the Documentary Accountability Working Group Natalie Bullock Brown, Curiosity Capital CEO Felipe Estefan, and 4th World Media co-founder Tracy Rector.
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Multitude Films said the board of directors will provide strategic advice and guidance as the company continues to evolve as a not-for-profit organization.
«"Our core purpose remains unchanged," Rose said in a statement, "to create bold documentaries and mobilize strategies for cultural change for cultural transformation and a more liberating future. As a nonprofit, we will expand and strengthen our collaborations with partners both within and outside the film community, working with organizers and movements to build long-term storytelling power.".
The leadership change comes after founder and former president Jess Devaney moved to Perspective Films, a production company created by the Perspective Fund.
«"Anya has been a key architect of Multitude's strategy, programs, and operations," Devaney said in a statement. "She possesses a rare combination of political acumen, creative flair, and disciplined leadership, as well as a deep commitment to the filmmakers and movements we partner with.".
Founded in 2016, Multitude Films has produced a number of social justice-themed films that have appeared on Netflix, PBS, Peacock, and HBO Max. The company's 2022 film «Lowndes County and the Path to Black Power» , directed by Geeta Gandbhir and Sam Pollard, was nominated for an Emmy Award for Short Film 2023. «How We Find Freedom» (How We Get Free), directed by Gandhbhir and Samantha M. Knowles, has been shortlisted for the Oscars, and the 2025 film «Life After , directed by Reid Davenport, won the Special Jury Award in the U.S. Documentary category at the Sundance Film Festival.
However, the documentary market is currently facing challenging times for projects that address social issues, which is Multitude Films' specialty. Major streaming platforms are increasingly focusing their non-fiction projects on celebrity, sports, and true crime stories rather than issues like racial justice or climate change, and the closure of Participant Media in 2024 has deprived the company of a major investor in this field.
With its new format, Multitude Films will continue to advance justice-focused work, the company said in a press release, supporting underrepresented filmmakers and focusing on projects with strong social impact «so that bold cinema can drive systemic change.».
In the same spirit, the brand's upcoming animated documentary,« Alive!» , filmed by the director of the film «Pray Away» Christine Stolakis tells the story of two young women who begin new lives after suffering from severe, life-threatening eating disorders.
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