Fork Films
Fork Films was a New York-based private documentary film production company and grant-making organization (2007-2022) that produced and funded change-driven nonfiction films on women's rights, peace, and social justice, distributing through Netflix, PBS, VOD platforms, and educational partners in 60+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Fork Films does
Fork Films LLC was a New York-based, privately held documentary film production company and grant-making organization that operated from 2007 until closing its offices in 2022. The company produced and funded feature-length nonfiction films centered on social change, women's rights, peace, and underrepresented stories — exemplified by original productions such as Pray the Devil Back to Hell (2008 Tribeca Best Documentary Feature, credited with contributing to Leymah Gbowee's 2011 Nobel Peace Prize) and Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix, Oscar-nominated). A parallel Film Grant Funding Program provided production capital to independent documentary filmmakers, seeding a portfolio of more than 20 externally produced films including Vessel, 93Queen, Tickling Giants, and Drawing the Tiger.
The company's business model combined two streams: (1) production and ownership of original documentary films generating licensing royalties and grant-derived capital, and (2) a recurring public performance licensing channel for educational and community screenings operated through distributor ro*co films. Films reached audiences via top-tier distribution partners including Netflix (streaming), PBS (broadcast, including the 12.5 million-viewer Women, War & Peace series), VOD platforms (iTunes, Vimeo, Amazon Prime), and festival premieres at Sundance, Tribeca, and 100+ festivals worldwide. Core technology is traditional documentary filmmaking with effective and artistic storytelling methods; there is no proprietary technology stack, API, or AI capability.
The company served a hybrid customer base spanning general documentary audiences, educational institutions, community organizations, broadcasters, and streaming platforms. Notable competitive advantages included an award-laden brand (Tribeca Best Documentary, Television Academy Honors, Gruber Women's Rights Prize, JFK Profile in Courage Award) and multi-channel distribution reach spanning 60+ countries and 20 language translations. Following the 2022 office closure, Fork Films is no longer operationally active, though its content archive remains accessible.
Fork Films firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fork Films
- Legal name
- Fork Films LLC
- Website
- https://forkfilms.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Fork Films was a New York-based private documentary film production company and grant-making organization (2007-2022) that produced and funded change-driven nonfiction films on women's rights, peace, and social justice, distributing through Netflix, PBS, VOD platforms, and educational partners in 60+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fork Films industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Documentary Film Production
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries (MPADADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Feature-Length Documentaries (MPADADAA), Docuseries & Episodic Nonfiction (TV/Streaming) (MPADADAB)
Keywords
Where Fork Films is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fork Films business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Film Production & Funding: Fork Films produces original documentaries and provides grant funding to independent filmmakers. From 2007-2022, they produced and supported change-driven nonfiction media that made important social contributions.
- Film Licensing & Screenings: Revenue generated from public performance licenses for screenings, DVD sales, and VOD distribution through third-party platforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Public Performance License |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Fork Films product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fork Films produced and supported change-driven documentary films, often with women at the center of stories, on themes of social justice, peace, and underrepresented communities. The company produced original documentaries in-house and provided grant funding to independent filmmakers producing feature-length nonfiction films. Its catalog was distributed through VOD platforms, broadcast television, educational screening licenses, and film festivals.
Product overview
Fork Films was a documentary film company and grant-making organization that produced and supported change-driven nonfiction media. The company portfolio consisted of two main components: (1) Original Productions - documentary films produced directly by Fork Films such as Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, and The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales; and (2) Funded Films - documentary projects supported through grant funding awarded to independent filmmakers. Fork Films awarded grants for feature-length nonfiction films that utilized effective and artistic storytelling methods to advance a culture of understanding and a more peaceful, just society. The organization operated from 2007-2022, with a particular emphasis on subjects with women at the center and stories overlooked by mainstream media. The company also offered film licensing services including public performance licenses for community and educational screenings through partners like ro*co films educational.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution A documentary film about the disability rights movement, told through the perspective of former camper Jim LeBrecht, tracing the journeys of teenagers from a summer camp to the early days of the disability rights movement. Licensed for streaming distribution via Netflix.
- Pray the Devil Back to Hell A documentary chronicling the remarkable story of Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country. Licensed for public performance screenings, VOD distribution, and broadcast via PBS.
- Mayor A real-life political saga following Musa Hadid, the Christian mayor of Ramallah, during his second term in office, documenting his goals to repave sidewalks, attract tourism, plan Christmas celebrations, and end the occupation of Palestine.
- Even When I Fall A documentary following three Nepali women survivors of human trafficking who build Nepal's first circus, using their performances to campaign against human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
- Hot Girls Wanted A documentary examining the amateur porn industry through the story of a young woman entering the 'amateur' porn world, exploring the darker corners of the internet adult entertainment industry.
- Black Snow A documentary thriller about residents of a remote Siberian coal mining settlement discovering a Soviet mine fire beneath their neighborhood and a local homemaker-turned-journalist who investigates a government disinformation campaign.
- Girl Unbound: The War to Be Her A documentary about Maria Toorpakai Wazir, a world-renowned athlete from Pakistan who became known as Genghis Khan, and her battle over feminine identity in a country where sports are decried as un-Islamic.
- She's Beautiful When She's Angry A documentary illuminating the roots of the modern women's liberation movement from the 1960s and 1970s, exploring issues of race, sexuality, and gender equality that continue to resonate today.
- Once Upon a Time in Uganda A documentary following Isaac Nabwana, who grew up during Uganda's civil war and later turned his home in the slum into 'Wakaliwood,' Uganda's first action movie studio, and the international attention that followed.
- Storming Caesars Palace A documentary chronicling Ruby Duncan's fight against a fraud-obsessed welfare system as she ignites 'Mother Power,' mobilizing welfare rights activists to march down the Las Vegas Strip demanding an adequate income in 1971.
- Vessel A documentary about Dr. Rebecca Gomperts who sails a ship around the world providing abortions at sea for women with no legal alternative, and her journey to create an underground network of activists.
- The Arrivals A documentary following two men who leave home in Mexico to escape poverty and homophobia, making the dangerous journey to New York City in search of social and economic freedom.
- Hard Hatted Woman A feature documentary about women breaking down gender barriers in blue-collar construction trades.
- Simple As Water A meditation on the elemental bonds of family, featuring portraits of Syrian families now living in Turkey, Greece, Germany, Syria and the US, illustrating the human cost of war and the lengths families go to protect their loved ones.
- Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project A biographical documentary recounting the story of acclaimed poet Nikki Giovanni and the revolutionary historical periods through which she lived, from the Civil Rights and Black Arts Movement to Black Lives Matter.
- Drawing the Tiger An intimate portrait of a family in Nepal filmed over seven years, whose brightest child was awarded a scholarship to attend school in the city, documenting the tragic consequences when her life ends and the family must survive without her education.
- Razing Liberty Square A documentary about Miami's Liberty Square public housing community discovering that a $300 million revitalization project is actually about removing residents due to climate gentrification, as their neighborhood sits on the highest-and-driest ground in the city.
- 93Queen A documentary following a group of tenacious Hasidic women creating the first all-female volunteer EMS corps in New York City, shattering the glass ceiling in their Hasidic Brooklyn neighborhood.
- Amal A documentary following a feisty teenager growing up in post-revolution Egypt, documenting her 6-year journey from childhood to adulthood as she searches for her place, identity, and sexuality in a patriarchal society.
- Tickling Giants A documentary about Bassem Youssef, a heart surgeon who launches a satirical news program amidst the chaos of the Egyptian Revolution, transforming 'Al Bernameg' into one of the most popular comedy shows in the world.
- The Babushkas of Chernobyl A documentary about a defiant community of women who returned to live in some of the most toxic land on Earth after the Chernobyl disaster, documenting their choice to return and defy authorities.
- Alias Ruby Blade A documentary chronicling the birth of a new nation in East Timor through the love story between Kirsty Sword, an Australian activist code-named 'Ruby Blade,' and Kay Rala 'Xanana' Gusmão, the enigmatic leader of the Timorese resistance.
- Playground A documentary investigating the commercial sexual exploitation of American children, revealing that this problem exists domestically, exploring how children are educated about sex and the challenge of raising awareness about an inherently hidden crime.
- Sisters Act A documentary following Sister Raquel and religious sisters across the Mediterranean who work on the front-line against human trafficking, helping survivors gain back their freedom from rescue operations to long-term rehabilitation.
- Atomic Homefront A documentary documenting women who have mobilized to fight for environmental justice in St. Louis communities contaminated by Manhattan Project uranium, thorium, and radium dumped along Coldwater Creek.
- Film Grant Funding Program A grant program that awarded funding to independent documentary films that advanced Fork Films' mission of supporting change-driven nonfiction media with women at the center, often emphasizing overlooked subjects and untold stories. The program operated from 2007-2022.
- Public Performance License for Documentary Screenings A one-time/perpetual license required for public, community, and educational screenings of Fork Films' documentaries. Allows unlimited screenings at a single campus or location. Available through the ro*co films educational distribution partner.
- The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales An original Fork Films documentary production, part of the company's change-driven nonfiction media portfolio.
Quantifiable outcome
- Pray the Devil Back to Hell credited with helping Leymah Gbowee win the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize
Companies that use Fork Films
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Fork Films technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Fork Films partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ro*co filmscorero*co films serves as the educational and community sales partner for Fork Films, handling public performance licenses for screenings of films like Pray the Devil Back to Hell. They manage the ordering and fulfillment of educational DVDs and screening licenses for schools, communities, and organizations.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Fork Films competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kartemquin Films: Non-profit documentary production company founded in 1966, producing social-issue and advocacy films (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters). Highly comparable as a mission-driven documentary producer with similar grant funding model and festival/educational distribution strategy.
- ro*co films: Educational documentary distribution company handling public performance licenses and community/educational screenings. Directly comparable as Fork Films' distribution partner and operates the same licensing model for impact documentary content.
- ITVS (Independent Television Service): Public broadcasting funder and producer of independent documentaries for PBS. Highly comparable as a documentary funding/production entity with PBS distribution that supports similar social-issue content to Fork Films' catalog.
- Abramorama: Independent documentary distribution and production company specializing in theatrical releases and impact campaigns. Comparable as an indie documentary distributor with overlap in social-issue content distribution.
- Good Docs: Educational documentary distribution platform offering streaming and licensing for academic and library markets. Directly comparable as an alternative distribution channel for impact documentaries with educational licensing model.
- Women Make Movies: Non-profit feminist media organization distributing films by and about women globally. Highly comparable mission overlap with Fork Films' women-centered storytelling focus and similar educational/community distribution model.
Broad incumbents
- Participant Media: Major impact media company producing documentary and narrative films with social-issue themes (An Inconvenient Truth, Food, Inc.). Comparable mission-driven documentary focus but operates at significantly larger scale with broader media portfolio.
- Magnolia Pictures: Independent film distribution company handling documentary and narrative releases across theatrical, VOD, and broadcast. Comparable as an indie distributor with overlap in documentary catalog, though broader scope than Fork Films' impact focus.
Regional players
- Docurama: Documentary-focused streaming and distribution label acquiring and licensing independent documentaries. Comparable as a documentary aggregator/distributor, though primarily serves streaming consumer audience rather than Fork Films' educational/community focus.
Emerging players
- Catapult Film Fund: Non-profit documentary grant funder supporting social-issue films in production. Comparable as a documentary funding organization operating in the same nonprofit impact-media space as Fork Films' grant program.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fork Films social profiles
Digital presenceFork Films financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fork Films leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Fork Films funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fork Films M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fork Films
What does Fork Films do?
Fork Films produced and supported change-driven documentary films, often with women at the center of stories, on themes of social justice, peace, and underrepresented communities. The company produced original documentaries in-house and provided grant funding to independent filmmakers producing feature-length nonfiction films. Its catalog was distributed through VOD platforms, broadcast television, educational screening licenses, and film festivals.
Is Fork Films a public or private company?
Fork Films is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently closed.
When was Fork Films founded?
Fork Films was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Fork Films based?
Fork Films is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fork Films make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Film Production & Funding is the primary driver. The others are film Licensing & Screenings.
Who are Fork Films's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kartemquin Films, ro*co films, ITVS (Independent Television Service), Abramorama, Good Docs and Women Make Movies. Broad incumbents are Participant Media and Magnolia Pictures. Docurama is listed as a regional player. Catapult Film Fund is listed as an emerging player.
Does Fork Films have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fork Films.
What industry is Fork Films in?
Fork Films's product category is Documentary Film Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADADAG, Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries, with a secondary code of MPADADAA, Feature-Length Documentaries. Its NAICS code is 512110 and its SIC code is 7812.