UNDERSTORY DOCS
Understory Docs believe that images and films are powerful tools for imagining new worlds, uncovering histories and creating spaces of connection. We work collaboratively with activists, artists, and community organizers to create films that amplify their stories and social change goals for the long term.
Documentary Video & Experimental Media
Directing, Producing and Filming
Understory Docs builds community by archiving hidden histories, sharing stories and tools of resilience, and providing space to imagine liberatory futures.
As Adrienne Maree Brown says,
"Our radical imagination is a tool for decolonization, for reclaiming our right to shape our lived reality."
The “understory” is the sheltered layer in a forest between canopy and floor, where saplings, shrubs, and vines grow when light breaks through. Understory Docs aspires to be a piece of that light—illuminating grassroots movements that redefine relationships to our urban and natural environments, with a special focus on stories woven with art and music.
Rooted in restorative storytelling, we view the entire filmmaking process, from relationship-building to production, as essential to creating authentic, collaborative, and ethical stories.