American Documentary

Overview

June 27, 2019, New York, N.Y., POV Spark, the innovation arm of the iconic independent PBS documentary series, POV, in partnership with the National Film Board of Canada, a world-renowned producer of creative documentary films and interactive stories, has announced the eight artists selected to participate in Otherly, a new interactive film initiative that aims to set the standard for creative non-fiction storytelling in an age of mobile and ephemeral media. The first partnership between POV Spark and NFB, Otherly aims to amplify voices and perspectives from the U.S. and Canada that are rarely heard in mainstream media.

The call for submissions ran April 16 - May 17, 2019. Otherly sought proposals for innovative projects utilizing Instagram Stories on the idea of “belonging” by visionary women, non-binary, and/or genderqueer storytellers from the United States and Canada.

Receiving 169 applicants from both countries, Otherly drew from a huge variety of backgrounds from filmmaking to podcasting and from animation to policy research. This diversity of experiences highlights the inclusivity for which we strove when we conceived of this project.

The selected participants are as follows:

U.S.-BASED CREATORS

Tristan Angieri

Tristan Angieri is a non-binary multi-disciplinary artist, director and actor. Their streetwear is sold on the queer and trans design label Homogoods. In 2018, they released the EP Eccolocations as half of the artpop group Hairband Hairband. As Themperor, they released the 2019 single “Drop Into It” and are currently recording their debut album.

Tristan was born in NY and brought up in the Midwest. They studied architecture at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and earned their M.Arch at the University of California Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design (CED).

Em Yue

Emily Yue is a Chinese-American artist and filmmaker from North Carolina. Their work in documentary animation and interactive media explores the intersections of queerness, language, and technology through the lens of tenderness. After studying photojournalism and studio art at UNC-Chapel Hill, they relocated to Los Angeles where they are currently pursuing an MFA in experimental animation at the California Institute of the Arts.

Jackie! Zhou

Jackie! Zhou (she/they) is a Los Angeles-based artist who is keen on blurring the lines between formats and disciplines. From music videos to documentaries, her directorial work aims to explore and celebrate human experiences. Her sound design work has been Emmy nominated, and credits include Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer, HBO’s United Skates, and live work presented at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Jackie! especially thrives with collaborative projects that defy the standard borders of traditional formats. She believes good humans make great storytellers.

CANADA-BASED CREATORS

Grace An

Grace An is an animator and filmmaker based in Toronto. Her work often involves coming-of-age narratives and can be described as depressive, dreamy, and sarcastic. Grace’s films have been screened at the Phi Centre, the Fantasia International Film Festival, and the Ottawa International Film Festival. She is currently an Interdisciplinary Master’s in Art, Media and Design candidate at OCAD University.

Joanne Lam

Joanne Lam is a designer and creative producer from Vancouver by way of Hong Kong. She previously co-created, wrote, and produced INVERSES, a multi-sensory collaboration between six artists consisting of an illustrated storybook, a soundtrack, and a trio of custom scents. Joanne’s work has been exhibited at the Reykjavik Winter Lights Festival (Tiny/Massive), the Fully Booked Art Book Fair (Dubai Art Week), and The Book Was Better Film Festival in Oakland and New York.

Jess Murwin

Jess Murwin is a mixed-race non-binary queer Mi’kmaw artist and curator currently based in Montreal, Quebec. They received formal artistic training from Notre Dame de la Tilloye (France) and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (Canada), as well as informal training on various sets, at artist centres and in workshops in Canada, Europe, and India. Their work is largely community based, combining futurism and social engagement through a variety of mediums.

Mirusha Yogarajah

Mirusha Yogarajah is a writer, filmmaker, and community-engagement specialist who resides in Toronto. Their work aims to showcase the multifaceted experiences of being a person on the margins and the delicate and intimate experiences they host alongside survival. They use storytelling to weave narratives that galvanize tangible systemic change in the world. They are queer, Tamil, and make their dreams come to fruition.

About POV Spark

POV Spark (formerly POV Digital) is the innovation arm of the iconic independent PBS documentary series POV. POV films have won every major film and broadcasting award, including 36 Emmys, 20 Peabody Awards and three Academy Awards. POV is a production of American Documentary (AmDoc), a national non-profit media arts organization that strives to make essential documentaries accessible as a catalyst for public discourse. AmDoc collaborates with passionate filmmakers to amplify their voices, and to nurture the non-fiction community.

About NFB

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is one of the world’s leading digital content hubs, creating groundbreaking interactive documentaries and animation, mobile content, installations and participatory experiences. NFB interactive productions and digital platforms have won 100 awards, including 21 Webbys. To access acclaimed NFB content, visit NFB.ca or download its apps for mobile devices.