Producer Jess Devaney has been named head of Perspective Films, a documentary co-production initiative launched by Perspective Fund. The initiative provides funding and production support to documentaries that focus on culture, stories and change. Perspective Films’ first productions are expected to be announced this fall.
Devaney joins Perspective Films as a narrative strategist and is also the founder of documentary studio Multitude Films. At Perspective Films, she will focus on “partnering with filmmakers across development, production, distribution, and influence,” a model that is “based on the understanding that socially engaged documentary storytelling is most effective when combined with sustained creative collaboration and meaningful resources over time, especially for projects that navigate complex creative, logistical, and political landscapes.”
Devaney’s previous notable work includes Life After, the Netflix originals Play Away and Power, the Emmy-winning Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power, and HBO’s Oscar-nominated How We Get Free. Mr. Devaney will be leaving his role at Multitude to lead this new initiative.
“As authoritarianism expands, democracy erodes, and attacks on marginalized communities intensify, stories that deepen collective empathy, defend truth, and expand the national imagination are foundational, not auxiliary,” Devaney said. “This next chapter builds on what I’ve learned over the past decade: that cinema is strongest when artistic excellence, movement acumen, and resources come together.”
Perspective Films builds on the Perspective Fund’s Documentary Film Support Program, which provides grants to nonfiction projects, under the leadership of Perspective Fund Program Officer Andrew Catauro. Up to $375,000 in funding will be provided per project and can be used to impact development, production, post-production, or distribution support and implementation. Perspective Films assists filmmakers with storytelling, distribution positioning, and more, with a range of collaborations tailored to each project.
The company says projects will be evaluated “through a holistic lens that considers artistic excellence, production feasibility, distribution channels, and potential contribution to broader cultural and narrative change.” This initiative is by invitation only.
“Stories don’t just reflect the world, they shape how we understand it,” said Jacob Taylor, CEO of Perspective Fund. “With Perspective Films, we bring early support and continuity to film, capital and production expertise in how it is shaped, positioned and activated. Jess has been a key collaborator and thought partner of ours for many years and brings the creative rigor and strategic clarity to support film as a lasting vehicle for change.”
Perspective Fund is a New York-based philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing storytelling, journalism, and cultural activities that drive social change, providing funding and strategic partnerships to projects in critical stages of development, production, and distribution. Over the past decade, Perspective Fund has supported more than 150 films and 50 organizations, directing more than $40 million to documentary storytelling and related initiatives.
