EVERGREEN
april 2026
At 3Roots, we often return to the idea that stories move like nature. Rooted in one moment, but revealed over time. As we step into the beginning of spring, a season defined by renewal and quiet growth, we’re reminded that the most meaningful impact doesn’t always happen when a film is released, but in what it continues to cultivate long after.
In this issue, that idea comes to life through Finding Fellowship (2022). What began as a story of preservation and reconciliation has, in 2026, taken on new life. Deepening community pride, reconnecting generations, and renewing investment in the spaces and histories that shape identity. It’s a reflection of how stories, when grounded in the right conditions, continue to grow well beyond their first telling.
This is the work of 3Roots: cultivating an ecosystem where artists, funders, and partners come together to nurture stories beyond the screen to build connections, expand access, and ensure that powerful narratives don’t just reach audiences, but take root, evolve, and create lasting pathways for impact.
Thank you for being part of the 3Roots community.
THE STORY AFTER THE STORY
Films that are still making a difference
The Oscar-nominated film Sing Sing (A24, 2024) is a powerful story of human redemption and resilience. It follows the real-life work of Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), a program that brings theater and creative expression to incarcerated individuals at Sing Sing Correctional Facility.
We spoke with Jermaine Archer, Executive Director of RTA– and an alumn of the program– about the film’s impact. “It’s very hard to get support for work that people can’t see. The film helped many people understand the role of the arts in prison,” Archer shared. “Beyond being an incredible advocacy tool, the film put Clarence Maclin (who plays himself) in a position to pursue his real passion: youth advocacy. Thanks to the film’s exposure, he’s been able to grow his initiative, Successful Steps, and expand services for justice-impacted youth.”
The film shows how art, often the first thing cut from budgets, can be the most powerful tool for transformation. As Archer says, “Anybody interested in public safety needs to watch this movie.”
The Librarians (PBS/Independent Lens, 2025) follows the growing wave of book bans across the U.S., as librarians– often overlooked public servants– become frontline defenders of intellectual freedom. Directed and produced by Oscar® Nominated and Peabody Award winner Kim A. Snyder and produced by Janique L. Robillard, Maria Cuomo Cole, and Jana Edelbaum, the film has leveraged its strong festival run– including 100+ festivals around the globe, garnering 29 awards– to mobilize local action.
In Texas, two sold-out screenings urged audiences to vote in the final days of school board elections, resulting in the ousting of pro-censorship candidates in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In the week following Houston’s theatrical push, three “pro book” candidates got seats and majority on a previously overturned school board. These are just two of many examples of how this film, coupled with hyperlocal engagement, has empowered community members to protect the freedom to read.
The Librarians is currently in select theaters, airing on PBS and streaming for free until May 9.
Finding Fellowship (PBS, 2022) captures how a Maryland community planted the seeds of reconciliation in fields once tied to enslavement, coming together in the wake of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Through interviews with elders whose stories might otherwise have been lost, the documentary preserves the living history of Quince Orchard and shows how shared history can become a foundation for healing and renewal.
Young people built meaningful relationships with older residents while deepening their understanding of local Black history. Director, co-producer, and fifth-generation Quince Orchard descendant Jason Green shared: “The film not only built community pride– it also supported fundraising efforts to preserve the historic buildings at the Pleasant View Historic Site, which reopens on June 20, 2026.”
Jason also just released his memoir, “Too Precious to Lose: A Memoir of Family, Community, and Possibility” earlier this year. Check it out!
OUT NOW & COMING SOON
The psychological thriller Newborn, starring David Oyelowo and written/directed by Nate Parker, explores the cruel practice of solitary confinement and its devastating aftermath. Through an intimate story of family, trauma, and survival, the film examines how extreme isolation in prison reverberates far beyond the 10×8 cell, fracturing the lives of the loved ones waiting for them at home.
We had the chance to chat with Nate about the way he chose to present the social issues in this film. “Genre allows messages to resonate in a way that is more authentic than the ‘broccoli’, so to speak, that oftentimes we find in films like this,” he shared. “Our audience members arrive with the hope of a thrill ride, but leave with a call to action around addressing this horrifying practice that is impacting over 80,000 men, women and children across America.” We couldn’t agree more.
Newborn opens in theaters April 10.
The short documentary Quad Life follows David Jeffers, a young Black sound designer and father whose life turned upside down after an accident left him quadriplegic. Rather than focusing on hardship, it invites audiences into the creative life that continues after injury.
We spoke with David and Executive Producer Ricardo Roberts about the film’s momentum following its recent premiere at the Pan African Film Festival. “We’re setting up grassroots screenings at universities, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers, so that particularly those newly injured can better understand disability,” David shared. In partnership with Making Space, and with growing attention– including a feature on the podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz– Quad Life aims to foster empathy, expand representation, and spark conversation around accessibility and inclusion.
To learn more and get involved, send an email to delvon@3rootsmedia.com.
FEATURED IMPACT CAMPAIGNS
When Abby Martin became a mother during the COVID-19 pandemic, she confronted a terrifying truth: the world her child would inherit is being devastated not only by the climate crisis, but specifically by the U.S. military, the world’s largest institutional polluter. Her documentary, Earth’s Greatest Enemy, exposes a secretive and constantly-expanding web of destruction, cover-ups, and unaccountability, connecting the dots between imperialism, pollution, and the climate collapse.
Together with CODEPINK, a feminist grassroots organization working to end U.S. warfare and imperialism, the film is raising awareness through a global screening tour. We spoke with director Abby Martin and Aaron Kirshenbaum from CODEPINK, who shared their perspective: “The screenings have been liberating. People walk in feeling powerless, but they leave empowered, armed with information and community. We’ve gone around the U.S., Europe, Australia—anywhere U.S. imperialism impacts the planet—and the response has been monumental.” Check out the full Q&A here.
Who hasn’t heard of the hit medical drama, The Pitt? With Season 3 now in the works, the show is doing much more than earning Emmy awards and bringing in millions of viewers. Set in a Pittsburgh emergency room, The Pitt accurately portrays real-life scenarios, validating the experiences of healthcare workers everywhere and moving audiences to talk about important issues like organ donation and end-of-life planning. According to research by the USC Norman Lear Center, viewers exposed to the show’s organ donation storyline were motivated to register, with 26.9% seeking additional information and 17.2% sharing it with others.
We spoke with Kate Folb, Program Director at the Lear Center’s Hollywood, Heath & Society program, which worked closely with the show’s writers to ensure medically grounded storytelling: “We know that what people see in their favorite TV shows, modeled by their favorite characters, affects their knowledge, attitudes, and even behaviors around their own health. So it’s critical that the information being depicted is as accurate as possible,” she said. “I’m sworn to secrecy on Season 3,” she added, “but it’s an honor to be part of something so impactful.” Catch the Season 2 finale on April 16.
FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS
Grateful Film Fund is a nonprofit organization advancing environmental and social awareness through powerful storytelling. Supported by individuals and foundations, GFF provides grants to film projects that inspire positive action and real-world change. Explore current projects, including the upcoming documentary Narcissist’s Playbook.
Help bring meaningful stories to life and amplify voices that matter.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
If you’d like to feature an impact campaign or share a powerful story of a film’s influence, we’d love to connect!
Are you a funder or individual interested in supporting film projects? Please reach out!
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