Mission Statement

KY Place is an anthology documentary series that encourages conversations about issues relevant to Kentucky, without shying from taboos. It asks questions and seeks answers while understanding that sometimes there are none.

The filmmakers behind the series have two primary objectives:

First, to direct our cameras on the places and people of Kentucky. We believe this state—like many places around the world—is complex, diverse, and beautiful. A recurring problem, however, seems to be that the real struggles of working-class Kentuckians have been ignored by corporate networks and replaced with false tropes (like the “Trump Country” narrative) which fail to portray our collective challenges and hard-fought victories. Our goal is to elevate the stories of Kentuckians that have been historically marginalized and work together to reclaim our narratives.

Second, to use documentaries to bring people together. We think film screenings are an especially useful organizing strategy to help educate folks about locally-relevant topics (e.g., Cannabis reform) to spark meaningful dialogue. As documentarians, we seek to harness the power of storytelling to create connections and nurture solidarity movements across the state. Our goal is that every film screening will be accompanied by open forum discussions with local residents and civic organizations to help Kentuckians better engage with their respective communities.

As we move forward, we want more Kentucky-based filmmakers to join in and share their stories. Together we can demonstrate that locally-produced media can function as a catalyst for community change.

 

 

Land Acknowledgement

Our films are produced on stolen Indigenous lands now known as “Kentucky.” We believe it is crucial to recognize that these areas have historically been, and continue to be, home to Shawnee, Cherokee, Yuchi, Chickasaw, Osage, Quapaw, and Miami people.

For more information about Native societies in Kentucky and actionable steps to uplift Indigenous communities, see this helpful guide from Kentuckians For The Commonwealth.