Catherine Gund delivers the incredibly moving docu-poem Meanwhile, a meditation on identity, race, racism, and resistance.
Meanwhile is a docu-poem in six verses about artists breathing through chaos. In dynamic collaboration, Jacqueline Woodson (text), Meshell Ndegeocello (soundscape), Erika Dilday (support), M. Trevino (structure), and Catherine Gund (direction), combine artists’ expressions with historical and observational footage to unveil a rare cinematic mediation about identity, race, racism and resistance as they shape our shared breath.
Centering breath as a symbol of resilience, Meanwhile captures raw, unfinished moments— dancers in rehearsal, artists midway through their work—focusing on the act of creation. Rooted in the upheavals of 2020, the film uses breath as its through-line to symbolize collective survival. It invites viewers to witness the process of liberation and be present in the “meanwhile”—a moment of creation, struggle, and hope that transcends fixed identities.
Meanwhile features work from artists such as Ching-I Chang, Mel Chin, Natalie Diaz, Teresita Fernández, Amber Ford, Tushrik Fredericks, Daniel Alexander Jones, William Kentridge, Nate Lewis, Jessica Maffia, Marie Lloyd Paspe, Shamel Pitts, Beverly Price, Josh Quat, and Ivy Young,
Check out our interview with Catherine:
Director bio:
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. She has served on several arts, media, and justice nonprofit boards and has been a creative advisor on numerous documentary films. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. An alumnus of Brown University and the Whitney Independent Study Program, she has four children and lives in NYC.
