Catherine Gund Talks Jacqueline Woodson, Meshell Ndegeocello & MEANWHILE on SOUNDS

SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham

On this episode of SOUNDS, host Tom Needham welcomes award-winning director and activist Catherine Gund to discuss her latest film, MEANWHILE, a docu-poem in six verses that captures artists creating in the midst of chaos.

Featuring an extraordinary collaboration between Jacqueline Woodson, Meshell Ndegeocello, and a cast of visionary artists, the film weaves together historical and observational footage to explore identity, race, resistance, and resilience.

Rooted in the upheavals of 2020, MEANWHILE uses breath as a symbol of survival and transformation, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the creative process rather than a fixed outcome.

Gund shares insights into the film’s unique structure, the importance of centering artists’ voices, and how MEANWHILE challenges traditional documentary storytelling.

Founder and Director of Aubin Pictures, Catherine Gund is an Emmy-nominated and

Academy-shortlisted producer, director, writer, and activist. Her media work focuses on strategic and sustainable social transformation, arts and culture, HIV/AIDS and racial, reproductive and environmental justice. Her films have screened around the world in festivals, theaters, museums, and schools; on PBS, HBO, Paramount+, the Discovery Channel, Sundance Channel, Free Speech TV, Netflix, and Amazon Prime. She won the 2023 Gracie Award for Documentary Producer. Her films include: Paint Me a Road Out of Here, Meanwhile, Angola Do You Hear Us? Voices From a Plantation Prison, Primera, Aggie, Chavela, and Born to Fly.

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about art as liberation, the power of unfinished moments, and the role of artists in shaping our collective breath.

Do more information about the SOUNDS with Tom Needham Podcast & SOUNDS OF FILM Radio Show, go to soundsoffilm.com.