In recent years, the U.S. has been experiencing what’s been called a mental health crisis. The documentary Fractured examines how that crisis is playing out within the criminal justice system in North Carolina, a state where it’s been harder to access mental health care than in most others.
From FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism Initiative, the Charlotte, North Carolina, NPR station WFAE, and Firelight Media, Fractured investigates the long waits for mental health care that defendants who are deemed too sick to stand trial face in North Carolina. The documentary explores how the long waits for care affect not only these defendants, but also the criminal justice system itself.
Distributor: PBS | FRONTLINE
Credits: Director, Producer and Co-Writer
The 2000 film Erin Brockovich told what seemed like a triumphant David-versus-Goliath tale: a single mother of three takes on PG&E for contaminating the drinking water in Hinkley, California—and wins, securing a $333 million settlement from the utility giant. But what happened to the tiny desert town afterward?
For many of the roughly 600 residents who received part of the payout, the victory was far from complete. The documentary short Based on a True Story revisits Hinkley decades later, revealing how residents like Roberta Walker still suffer from lingering health issues. Bound by confidentiality agreements, they can’t disclose how much money they received—but many say it wasn’t enough to sustain them long term. Now, 21 years after the lawsuit, the same environmental dangers appear to persist, continuing to threaten the health and livelihoods of those who remain in Hinkley.
Distributor: Reveal, from the Center for Investigative Reporting
Credits: Director, Producer, Cinematographer and Editor
Awards: Winner of the 2018 Gracie Award for Original Online Programming - Video Series “The Aftermath”
In the early hours of 2009, 22-year-old Oscar Grant was fatally shot by a Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer at Oakland’s Fruitvale station. Captured on cellphone video, the incident sparked nationwide outrage and helped ignite a broader conversation about police brutality. The officer was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served 11 months of a two-year sentence.
In the years that followed, as more names were added to the list of lives lost to police violence, Grant’s mother, Wanda Johnson, channeled her grief into action. The short film Until Something Is Done follows her journey as she becomes a central figure in a growing movement of mothers whose sons were killed by police—women seeking justice, healing, and a way to ensure their children are never forgotten. Each year, the movement continues to grow.
Distributor: PBS, Reveal, from the Center for Investigative Reporting,
Credits: Director, Producer, Cinematographer and Editor
*2018 Gracie Award for Original Online Programming - Video Series “The Aftermath”
The short film Between Life and Death explores the deep divide sparked by President Donald Trump’s promise to build a border wall. In southern Arizona—where the desert’s scorching heat has claimed the lives of thousands of migrants—one unlikely point of connection emerges: water.
The film follows both pro-immigrant activists and a rancher who supports the wall, revealing how, despite opposing views, they’re bound by a shared concern for the human cost of the border crisis.
Distributor: Reveal, from the Center for Investigative Reporting
Credits: Director, Producer, Cinematographer and Editor
The murder trial of Derek Chauvin is at the center of a national reckoning on race and policing. But cycles of protests over systemic racism and policing are not new. We watched the trial with the families of Rodney King, Oscar Grant and Stephon Clark to see this moment in history through their eyes.
Distributor: The New York Times
Credits: Producer
San Fransisco based comedian Luna Malbroux is "Mapping Privilege" and exploring both national and personal identity by talking with people all across the United States.
This short film was produced through our partnership with The Center for Investigative Reporting and published on Glamour.
You can view the full story on Glamour.com: Comedian Luna Malbroux Uses Humor to Shine a Light on Darkness
Credits: Director, Producer, Editor
Distributor: Reveal News, Glamour Magazine
Since 2013, Brittani “Brittsense” Sensabaugh has documented the daily experiences of people living in cities and neighborhoods deemed “too dangerous” by some. For her, they are communities shining with examples of unconditional love and resilience.
Distributor: KQED and PBS
Credits: Producer, Cinematographer and Editor
Jessica Sabogal’s work has been appearing on larger and larger walls — and that’s just the way she likes it. Graffiti it is not; spray paint may be her medium, but, Sabogal says, her work is always legal. The 28-year-old believes that murals should “stand for something,” and that her work is part of a shift as the medium moves into galleries and the fine art world.
Distributor: OZY
Credits: Producer, Cinematographer and Editor
Shortly after President Donald Trump’s election, two friends, Lauren and Martina, decided to provide free legal aid to people living in the country without permission. They left their home in New York and traveled across the country by van to meet people in need of help. Lauren is an immigration lawyer and Martina is an immigrant from Mexico. In just a few months, they traveled to 12 states and estimated they advised nearly 200 immigrants on a shoestring budget.
Distributor: Reveal, from the Center for Investigative Reporting
Credits: Director, Producer, Cinematographer and Editor
Sol Mercado, a formerly incarcerated woman, catches the sun as she nourishes a garden with her newfound community.
A documentary by Emily Cohen Ibañez and Débora Souza Silva
Distributor: TIME Studios, POV (PBS)
Credits: Director and Producer
In the film (directed by Aubrey Aden-Buie), Harris speaks about what a "women's issue" really is. "In my career, from time to time, people will say to me, 'OK, Kamala, speak to us about women's issues.' I'll look at them and say, 'You know what, I'm so glad you want to talk about the economy.'" She goes on, "A woman's issue is national security. A woman's issue is combating climate change. A woman's issue is comprehensive immigration reform. The need for a $15 minimum wage. Those are all women's issues."
You can view the full story on Glamour.com:
A New Film Series by Women, About Women—Featuring Senator Kamala Harris.
Distributor: Glamour Magazine
Credits: Producer
After years of struggling with her mental health and the death of her son, a woman finds healing through peer support.
Distributor: Healthy Us, Take Care
Credit: Director
