3 Generations

What 3 Generations does

3 Generations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 by filmmaker Jane Wells and headquartered in New York City. It produces documentary films, short films, and videos that chronicle contemporary human rights abuses, with a content slate spanning genocide (Darfur, Stolpersteine/Holocaust memory), sex trafficking, Native American justice, refugees, ecocide, veterans' issues, and criminal justice reform. The organization's founding narrative is anchored to founder Jane Wells' father Sidney Bernstein, who documented Nazi atrocities at Bergen-Belsen in 1945.

The core technology is traditional documentary filmmaking using professional cinematic formats (DCI 4K at 4096x2160, 24fps, 5.1 surround sound, DCP for theatrical distribution). The organization operates a portfolio of approximately 6 feature documentaries, 7 short documentaries, and dozens of short videos, with exclusive North American rights to the Imperial War Museum's restored 'German Concentration Camps Factual Survey' as a notable archival asset. Distribution is multi-channel: direct-to-consumer via an owned e-commerce storefront, third-party platforms (Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon, Vimeo), specialized distributors (First Run Features, Menemsha Films, Giant Pictures), and theater-on-demand via GATHR.

The business model is hybrid nonprofit: a combination of donations and grants (the primary support mechanism), low-ticket film sales/rentals (typically $0.99-$4.99 rentals, $3.99-$19.99 digital/physical purchases), merchandise ($20 tote bags and t-shirts), and licensing/screening rights for institutional and theatrical use. Customer segments span film festival and museum circuit audiences, educational institutions, social justice advocacy organizations, and individual consumers. Geographic reach spans North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania through festival screenings and partner distribution, with 50+ HERE LIVED screenings globally cited as a recent indicator of scale.

Name

3 Generations

Legal name

3 Generations

Website

https://3generations.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

3 Generations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2008 that produces documentary films and short videos on human rights issues including genocide, sex trafficking, Native American justice, and Holocaust memory, distributing them via film festivals, institutional screenings, and streaming platforms to reach cultural, educational, and advocacy audiences globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Documentary Film Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries (MPADADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Short-Form Documentaries (MPADADAC), Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers) (MPADAKAH), Access & Distribution for Archives (Restored Masters, DCP Creation, Screening Deliverables) (MPADAMAJ)

Keywords

• Human rights documentaries
• Social justice films
• Nonprofit film production
• Feature documentary films
• Documentary distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Film Sales (Rentals and Digital/Physical Purchases): 3 Generations sells and rents its documentary films digitally (streaming/own digital) and as physical DVDs. Films are available for purchase or rental on its own storefront, and are also distributed through platforms including Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon, and Giant Pictures.
2. Merchandise Sales: The organization sells branded merchandise including t-shirts and 100% recycled tote bags made from Pacific Ocean plastic bottles, through its online shop.
3. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, 3 Generations relies on donations from the public (with a dedicated donation page) and likely grant funding from foundations. The organization donated 25% of all proceeds from HERE LIVED to the Stichting Stolpersteine.
4. Theatrical and Non-Theatrical Screening Rights: The organization licenses theatrical and non-theatrical screening rights for films such as German Concentration Camps Factual Survey (North America and Puerto Rico rights acquired from Imperial War Museum).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

3 Generations is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces feature-length documentaries, short films, and digital videos documenting human rights abuses and social justice issues, including genocide, sex trafficking, Native American justice, refugees, ecocide, veterans' reintegration, and criminal justice reform. Films are sold and rented to consumers through an owned storefront and partner streaming platforms (Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon, Giant Pictures), and are licensed for theatrical, festival, museum, university, and law enforcement training screenings via partners including First Run Features, Menemsha Films, and GATHR.

Product overview

3 Generations is a nonprofit documentary film organization producing feature films, short documentaries, and videos about critical human rights and social justice issues. Their portfolio includes feature documentaries addressing sex trafficking (Tricked), cannabis legalization (Pot Luck), Native American justice (A Different American Dream), Holocaust memorial (HERE LIVED), refugee crises (Lost in Lebanon), criminal justice reform (A System of Justice), and genocide (The Devil Came on Horseback). The organization also produces short-form video content including youth conversations, commemorative pieces, and training materials. Distribution includes theatrical releases, streaming platforms (Apple TV, Amazon, Vudu, Vimeo), and direct sales/rentals through their shop, with 25% of proceeds from HERE LIVED donated to the Stichting Stolpersteine foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HERE LIVED Feature documentary distributed theatrically by Menemsha Films, part of 3 Generations' long-form catalog on human rights and memory.
• Pot Luck Feature documentary available for purchase and rental on the 3 Generations storefront and partner digital platforms.
• A Different American Dream Feature documentary released on the Giant Pictures digital distribution network as part of 3 Generations' catalog.
• Tricked Feature documentary on sex trafficking, featuring interviews with an FBI Special Agent and an OSCE advisor, available to consumer and institutional audiences.
• Tricked Law Enforcement DVD with Extras Specialized training edition of the Tricked documentary with additional extras, targeted at law enforcement and government agency training buyers.
• Lost in Lebanon Feature documentary in 3 Generations' catalog addressing refugee and displacement themes in the Middle East.
• German Concentration Camps Factual Survey Documentary feature in the 3 Generations catalog based on archival footage related to the liberation of Nazi concentration camps.
• Native Silence Documentary feature in 3 Generations' catalog addressing Native American justice issues, available for digital purchase.
• The Devil Came on Horseback Documentary feature in the 3 Generations catalog on human rights and conflict.
• What About the Boys Documentary feature in the 3 Generations catalog.
• A System of Justice Documentary feature in 3 Generations' catalog addressing criminal justice issues.
• Three (short film) Short film in 3 Generations' catalog of human rights content.
• A Kaddish for Selim (short film) Short film in 3 Generations' catalog of human rights content.
• Go Debbie (short film) Short film in 3 Generations' catalog, available for digital purchase on the storefront.
• Right There (short film) Short film in 3 Generations' catalog of human rights content.
• Preserving the Holocaust Documentary feature in 3 Generations' catalog focused on Holocaust memory and preservation.
• 3G Tote Bag Branded tote bag sold through the 3 Generations storefront as mission-supporting merchandise.
• 3G T-Shirt Branded t-shirt sold through the 3 Generations storefront as mission-supporting merchandise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 screenings organized across multiple continents for a single film (HERE LIVED)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• First Run FeaturescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 20163 Generations partnered with First Run Features to co-distribute German Concentration Camps Factual Survey in North America and Puerto Rico. First Run Features, founded in 1979, is one of America's largest independent documentary and art film distributors. The partnership grants 3 Generations theatrical and non-theatrical screening rights for the film.
• Menemsha FilmscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMenemsha Films handles North American distribution for HERE LIVED. Contact for North American screenings is [email protected]. Menemsha Films is a film distribution company specializing in independent and documentary films.
• GATHRminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor3 Generations partnered with GATHR, a theater-on-demand service, to enable community members to request and organize screenings of TRICKED in local movie theaters nationwide. Audiences plug in their location, reserve tickets, and promote screenings through their networks.
• Imperial War MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Imperial War Museum (IWM) restored and completed German Concentration Camps Factual Survey, a film originally commissioned by SHAEF in 1945. IWM granted 3 Generations theatrical and non-theatrical screening rights for North America and Puerto Rico. The film received its world premiere at the 64th Berlin Film Festival in February 2014 following restoration.
• Giant PicturescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGiant Pictures serves as the digital distribution partner for Pot Luck, making the documentary available across major streaming platforms including Apple TV, Vudu, and Amazon.
• The Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner3 Generations presented HERE LIVED in partnership with The Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme as part of the Center for Jewish History's programming series 'Anne Frank in History and Memory' and film series 'Holocaust History on Film: Anne Frank and Beyond.'
• ZenberryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerZenberry, a raw vegan superfood brand, partnered with 3 Generations for the 'Zenberry Be Fearless Challenge' in December 2016. Zenberry donated 35% of each bag sold through the 3 Generations donation link (~$41 per bag), supporting the organization's work.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Film Independent: Nonprofit that supports independent filmmakers through labs, fiscal sponsorship, and the Spirit Awards. Comparable as an enabling nonprofit for independent film but not a direct documentary producer.
• Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program: Major nonprofit funder and lab for independent documentary; an adjacent ecosystem enabler that supports comparable documentary makers through grants and creative labs rather than direct production.
• Impact Partners: Impact-producing and financing company that funds documentary and narrative films with social impact. Adjacent as a financier/distributor rather than a direct producing peer.

Direct peers

• Doc Society: Global nonprofit (formerly BRITDOC) that supports impact documentary filmmakers and runs funds and training programs for social-issue films. Comparable in mission, distribution support role, and impact-driven GTM.
• Active Voice: Nonprofit that uses film and media to drive social change through screenings, advocacy toolkits, and educator partnerships. Directly comparable in using documentary distribution as an activism platform rather than purely commercial release.
• Kartemquin Films: Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit documentary production company producing social-issue and human-rights films for over 50 years. Closely comparable mission, nonprofit structure, educational distribution model, and reliance on festival/institutional sales.
• The Representation Project: Nonprofit using film and media to shift cultural narratives on gender, race, and social justice. Comparable mission, nonprofit structure, and education/screening-led distribution approach.
• Northern Light Productions: Boston-based documentary production company focused on social-issue and historical films for broadcast and educational distribution. Comparable in production focus on human-rights and historical content and similar institutional buyer model.
• Fork Films: Abigail Disney's social-justice film production company producing documentaries on gender, human rights, and inequality. Comparable in mission-driven documentary production and founder-led model.

Broad incumbents

• Participant Media: Larger global entertainment company purpose-built around socially relevant content including feature documentaries. Broader incumbent with deeper commercial infrastructure but the same human-rights/social-issue orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/3GenerationsOrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/134063808787
• Instagraminstagram.com/3_generations
• TikToktiktok.com/@three_generations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 3 Generations