Producer Jess Devaney has been tapped to lead Perspective Films, a documentary co-production initiative launched by Perspective Fund. The initiative will provide both funding and producing support for culture, narrative and change-focused documentaries. Perspective Films’ first slate will be announced this fall.
Devaney joins Perspective Films as a narrative strategist and the founder of Multitude Films, a documentary studio. At Perspective Films, she will focus on “partnering with filmmakers across development, production, distribution and impact,” a model “grounded in the understanding that socially engaged documentary storytelling is most effective when sustained creative collaboration is paired with meaningful resources over time – particularly for projects navigating complex creative, logistical and political terrain,” per the company.
Devaney’s previous notable work includes “Life After,” the Netflix Original’s “Pray Away” and “Power,” the Emmy-winning “Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power” and HBO’s Oscar-shortlisted “How We Get Free.” To lead this new effort, Devaney will transition out of her role at Multitude.
“At a time of growing authoritarianism, democratic erosion and intensified attacks on marginalized communities, stories that deepen collective empathy, defend truth and expand public imagination are not ancillary – they are foundational,” said Devaney. “This next chapter builds on what I’ve learned over the past decade – that films are strongest when artistic excellence, movement insight and resources are aligned.”
Perspective Films builds on Perspective Fund’s Documentary Film Support program, which provides grant funding to nonfiction projects under the leadership of Perspective Fund program officer Andrew Catauro. Funding of up to $375,000 will be provided per project, which can be used to support development, production, post-production, or distribution and impact implementation. Perspective Films will also assist filmmakers on narrative development, distribution positing and more, with the scope of collaboration to be tailored to each project.
Per the company, projects will be evaluated “through a holistic lens that considers artistic excellence, production feasibility, distribution pathways and potential contributions to broader cultural and narrative change.” The initiative will operate on an invitation-only basis.
“Stories don’t just reflect the world, they shape how we understand it,” said Jacob Taylor, CEO of Perspective Fund. “With Perspective Films, we’ll back films early and stay with them, bringing both capital and producing expertise to how they’re shaped, positioned and activated. Jess has been a key collaborator and thought partner of ours for years and brings the creative rigor and strategic clarity to support films as sustained vehicles for change.”
Perspective Fund, a New York-based philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing storytelling, journalism and cultural work that drives social change, provides funding and strategic partnership to projects at critical stages of development, production and distribution. In the last decade, Perspective Fund has supported more than 150 films, 50 organizations and directed over $40 million into documentary storytelling and related initiatives.