Our Story
Beginnings
We’ve been making documentary films for 30 years. We began on the Micronesian island of Saipan -- a place as far away from landlocked as you can get. We love storytelling, photography, and song. Trying to make a film seemed like the perfect way to braid the strands of these loves. On Saipan, we found our first stories: of an indigenous people whose ancestors navigated the Pacific using ocean swells and star charts, and of a world war that in our islands involved limestone caves, flamethrowers, and nuclear bombs. We learned what a gift it was to help people share their stories with the larger world.
Voyages
Later journeys took us to Ecuador, Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Uganda. There we helped people share their stories of colonialism and the coca plant, of gold mining and adventure tourism, of slavery and a very old dance form, and of refugees and resettlement. We learned a lot about earning the trust of our film subjects and the ethics of this work.
Closer to Home
Amid these voyages out, we made a home in landlocked Colorado and began to listen to its songs. The chorus of children whose disabilities once led others to push them aside, but who now learn among their peers. The howl of wolves, once hunted to extinction, now sheltered by volunteers both nurtured and nurturing. The stories of memebers of our local Black community in Boulder County, and their resilience since arriving with gold miners and farmers in the 1870s. The tale of a young Latina-Hispano woman from the Eastern plains, once lost to addiction, now returned to the love of family, motherhood, and work.
The Gift of Story
It is a privilege to tell stories through film. Since we began in 1995, we've witnessed a democratization of documentary film. We have mentored and been mentored; ours is a realm where people are generous with one another. Our quest is telling the truth, even as subjectivity and artistry shape each creation. We are now sharing quite a few of our films for free with those who like to watch documentaries. Thank you for caring about this work and the people who bravely tell their stories to you.
