KERRY DAVID
FOUNDER & CEO
Professionally, Kerry David is an award-winning filmmaker. Personally, she is a lifelong advocate for wildlife. (Click for Bio)
Kerry was at a “Save the Elephants” fundraiser in Los Angeles when she first learned about the devastating effects of the global poaching industry and human/wildlife conflicts in Africa (the loss of natural habitat due to human encroachment). She felt compelled to act. She decided to join the leagues of champions around the world, ready to do what ever it would take to protect vulnerable species in Africa and their precious habitats.
"We’re currently in the 6th Greatest Extinction, but it’s the 1st to be caused by mankind. We’ve lost 68% of our wildlife in the last 50 years. By these statistics, we don’t have long with the wildlife that remains. If we truly care about the future of our planet, and all of its magnificent species, then I believe we have to engage on whatever level we can to protect them. It doesn’t have to be through donations. We all have unique skills we can bring to the table and offer to a chosen non-profit whose work we respect and whose work is effective.”
Kerry was invited to give a TEDx Talk recounting her journey throughout Africa and Asia filming her now, multiple award-winning film: Breaking Their Silence: Women on the Frontline of the Poaching War If you’re curious about the global poaching industry and want to learn and explore it through the female lens, from the source - this is the film for you! Click here to watch.
Launching Over and Above Africa was Kerry’s first step in a life long promise to advocate for endangered species, and support the communities they impact. Encouraging other volunteers to join her on this journey and bring their innate skills to the table is a priority.
Over and Above Africa creates mini documentaries of each project funded to share with members, donors and as an awareness tool for the issues and how just a few well-directed funds can positively impact an array of important initiatives on the ground, in Africa. Education is key. Awareness is key. But global participation is vital! As a career filmmaker, she brings her extensive film and TV experience to the table, often leaning on her network of generous friends in film to help with the completion of our mini-docs!
“It’s imperative that we rethink our relationship to wildlife, nature, and our planet at large… while there’s still time to create a positive impact.”
Thank you for supporting Over and Above Africa.
Filmmaker, Kerry David, began her career at Paramount Pictures, in Business Affairs, where she learned the business and contract side of filmmaking. She followed this with three years working exclusively for Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman learning the art of film production. Films with Cruise and Kidman include Mission Impossible 2, Without Limits, Portrait of a Lady, Peacemaker, Practical Magic, The Blue Room, and Eyes Wide Shut in the United Kingdom, with legendary director Stanley Kubrick.
Armed with this experience, Kerry started her own production company and produced films that include; the award-winning; Deposing the Usual Suspects (MGM), Agent Cody Banks and Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (MGM), Perfect Romance (Lifetime), and the critically acclaimed audience pleaser; My Date with Drew, which won multiple awards, including Best Feature at the HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, NY Gen Art Film Festival, and the Audience Award at the prestigious Locarno International Film Festival, Switzerland, among many others.
She followed "Drew" by producing, Expert Insight: Short Game Golf with Jim Furyk & Fred Funk, an educational DVD; which won a Telly-Award for Outstanding Instructional Content and Cinematic Excellence.
Kerry's next feature film was adapted from the NY Times bestseller Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury (20th Century Fox). The novel was adapted by friend, and Oscar nominee, Stephen J. Rivele, (Ali, Nixon). Directed by Jon Gunn, it starred Cole Hauser, Mira Sorvino and Barry Pepper and won over 35 film festival awards globally including Palm Springs International Film Festival. It premiered at the prestigious Deauville Film Festival, France to a 10-minute, standing ovation, walking away with the Premiere Audience Award for Best Feature.
Her fourth documentary was ‘Round Miles’ for HBO. The filmmakers invited a few of the last living jazz legends to play on stage with Miles Davis, and record their anecdotes as they reunited after decades. Kerry followed "Miles" with her first directing credit on; Seeking Happily Ever After (Lionsgate Films), one of only 25 films accepted into the Sundance Film Lab and chosen by Stanford University's law department as a case study. SHEA was based on a U.S. Consensus that there were more single women, by choice at that time, than any other time in history.
In 2001, concurrent with her film work, Kerry Founded Indieproducer.net (iP), an online community to nurture new and emerging filmmakers. (iP) provided access and an insider's perspective to a career in Hollywood. Leaning on her impressive industry contacts, Kerry invited notable guests to attend quarterly events, which often evolved into mentorship opportunities. She later added an annual screenwriting contest and bi-annual short film contest, culminating in a sponsored, 'Annual Awards Gala' at the prestigious Writers Guild Theatre in Beverly Hills. (Ip) reached 130 countries with over 86,000 members when she sold it in 2010.
From 2010-2013 Kerry took a leave of absence from Hollywood to build a musical village for orphans in Ghana, West Africa. As CEO and CFO, she successfully negotiated for land with 3 tribal chiefs and went on to lead a team of architects and contractors to design and build the orphanage, hiring key staff to launch and ultimately manage its growth. Never far from her filmmaking roots, Kerry produced several mini docs about the children that emphasized the school's value proposition for stakeholders and additional fundraising needs back in the United States. After completing the orphanage, Kerry returned to the U.S. full time, to continue her passion for filmmaking.
Fascinated by the advent of crowdsourcing, Kerry embraced the new vehicle to spearhead crowdfunding campaigns for passion projects. She raised hundreds of thousands for various non-profits, productions, and artists before turning her hand to directing feature documentaries.
In 2017, Kerry directed, produced, and wrote the award-winning feature documentary; Bill Coors: The Will to Live. "The Will to Live" was Bill's legacy project. It detailed his troubled, but impressive private life and documented the struggles he overcame as a husband, father, as a titan of the brewing industry. How he bravely shared his long battle with depression and anxiety, and his obsession to find a holistic cure for what ailed him. The following year, Kerry was approached to cut a version for two universities in Colorado. They included it in their curriculums to address mental health and suicide prevention on campus.
In 2017, Kerry learned of the devastating effects commercial poaching and the illegal wildlife trade in Africa. She was moved to action for the endangered animals and founded her now global non-profit, Over and Above Africa (O&AA). Partnering with vetted orgs and individuals on the ground, O&AA funds projects that protect endangered species in Africa and supports the communities they impact. As a filmmaker, Kerry brings her writing, producing, and directing services to the mini docs made for each project. These are shared with members and donors, promotes awareness of challenges on the ground for donor satisfaction and full transparency.
During a research trip, she noticed very few women working in the anti-poaching arena. After some initial enquiries, she learned there were many and connected with several to hear their impressive stories. These women inspired her to write, produce and direct, her now multiple award-winning feature documentary, Breaking Their Silence: Women on the Frontline of the Poaching War (BTS). BTS premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival to a standing ovation! After accruing 17 festival wins, (including winning both the Jury Awards for Best Doc, and the Audience Awards for Best Doc, at both the San Diego Intl. Film Festival and the Durango Film Festival), COVID shut down their festival run. At which point, Kerry decided to turn down the offer of a theatrical release and license BTS to Wondrium. Shortly afterwards, she was asked to give a TEDx Talk about her BTS experience. BTS was featured in many high-profile news and entertainment outlets including, The Today Show, CNN, BBC, People Magazine, Huffington Post, E Entertainment, Parade Magazine, among others.
In 2019 Kerry relocated to North Carolina where she was approached to write, produce, and direct, "Open Secret," a feature documentary exploring corrupt governing bodies that allowed for systemic racism and child sexual abuse to permeate New Hanover County’s School District – the school district protected predators over children and the crimes date back decades. Now 80% complete and raising completion funds: WeFunder.com/OpenSecret
In 2022, Hallmark green lit Kerry's feature film, "The Journey Ahead" by Erin Engman. A 17- year journey to bring to the screen! "TJA" is a fictional drama about two women from different generations, racial and sociological backgrounds and stars Holly Robinson Peete and Kaylee Bryant. They heal each other's broken lives during a long, road trip across the United States.
To date, Kerry's box office cume is approximately $90 million. She has been a guest speaker, consultant, and mentor to students at several schools, The Rotary Club, including University of Southern California, University of California at Los Angeles, Pepperdine University, UNCSA NC, NGOIFF Kenya, and the New York Film Academy. She has written numerous articles for various industry magazines and continues to be a student of life to appreciate all its exciting possibilities!
IMPACTFUL FILMS THAT INSPIRE
Email: producer.grl@gmail.com
Check out some of the Over and Above Africa projects you’ve funded here!