We make mostly-non-fiction cinema.
Rake Films has produced several feature-length non-fiction films which have screened and won awards at festivals such as the Berlinale, Visions du Réel, IDFA, SXSW, Hot Docs, and many more.
Beyond the festivals, our films have been distributed with ARTE, ZDF, Grasshopper Film, TIME and more; and we’ve had successful theatrical releases across Europe, Latin America, and North America (even during the pandemic).
We also participate in international coproductions, supporting new non-fiction and fiction features by authors in Latin America and Europe — always forging a unique path per film based on what it needs to get made.
Our films have participated in markets including IDFA Forum, Locarno Pro, Visions du Réel Pitch, San Sebastian IFF, Thessaloniki Doc Market, MECAS,
The Gotham and more.
We have spearheaded the press & distribution of each of our non-fiction films.
We have also led outreach campaigns which have access more than 150 universities, screening series and independent cinemas in over 20 countries.
We have produced over 100 short films and doc-style promotional videos for non-profit organizations and brands such as the GAP, Google, Midol, the Martin Ennals Award,
The End Fund, (RED), and more.
See the projects here >
We have produced short films independently and by commission of editorial outlets including The New Yorker, the BBC, The New York Times, and others.
We help others make their films.
We consult on creative aspects of filmmaking, as well as the practical, production stuff.
CREATIVE
We provide detailed workshop sessions for directors, providing a safe and fun space to explore the non-fiction form and to discover a narrative structure that works best for the filmmaker’s ideas and material. We work with directors in development, production and also provide notes on cuts.
PRODUCTION
We provide consultation on pitching a film, non-fiction and hybrid film production, non-fiction cinematography, producing films for NGOs and clients, shooting in remote and adverse conditions, shooting on low budgets, international coproductions between the USA and Europe and Latin America, and non-fiction film festival & distribution strategy.
Consulation provided for Elizabeth & Gulistan Mirzaei’s Three Songs For Benazir.
We have filmed in more than 30 countries.
From the the jungles in Congo to waterfalls in Venezuela. From the cobbled streets of Rome to alleyways of Sydney. From rural Afghanistan to rural United States. Why do our projects span the globe ? Well, because … why not ?
Every film is different. We build the team best suited for that project, drawing from our strong network of independent producers, cinematographers, sound recordists, sound designers, editors, and technicians to bring each story to life.
Diversity has always been inherent to our work, but we don’t believe in checking boxes or filling quotas. We believe in the dynamism and singularity of the human being, and we recognize, confront and celebrate whatever biases they bring along with that. We collaborate with people based on their skills, their creativity, and their profound knowledge of the spaces conveyed in our films. We treasure difference. We respect the human being. We work with child protection and harm reduction policies, and we form trust long before a camera is turned on. We combat colonial filmmaking practices where they have been present in communities in which we film, prioritizing local guidance and feedback to make our productions fair, safe, and fun.
We’ve worked in over 20 languages, and lean into the opportunities this brings to a filmmaking process. Our collaborations are made of not only people of different ethnicities and genders but of people with diverse points of view which elevate the film’s capacity to reach underserved audiences.
We work on things that we love, with people we love.
Mo Scarpelli - Director, Cinematographer
Misgan Assefa Lulie - Line Producer, Translator of ANBESSA
Caitlin Mae Burke - Producer of ANBESSA & client projects
Jesús Bermudez - Sound Recordist
of EL FATHER PLAYS HIMSELF
Lilian Noeli Koskei - Producer of FAITH
Margaux Fitoussi - CoDirector, Producer of EL HARA
Want to work together ?
Want some advice ?
We are happy to help.
Get in touch to see how we could consult for you,
your project, or your organization.