We are a group of filmmakers, artists, and storytellers.
We are an impact-driven video production company based in San Francisco, Oakland, and the greater Bay Area that works with individuals, non-profits, and purposeful businesses to help them advance their mission through authentic storytelling and film.
We believe stories have the power to transform the world.
The last of the Nightingales
Into That Good Night:
Among the many tragedies of extinction, there is one least spoken about, one easily taken for granted. It is the loss of sound; the loss of the song of life. Can you imagine a silent Earth? Bernie Krause, the legendary pioneer of Acoustic Ecology, takes us on an immersive journey to understand the devastating effects of climate change and the roadmap that natural soundscapes can offer for overcoming the climate crisis.
IMPACT:
Winner of two Jackson Wild Media Awards considered the highest bar of achievement in natural history filmmaking or Nature’s film equivalent to the Oscars® in the categories of Climate Stories and Natural Science.
Winner: Best In Festival at New York WILD Film Festival, Best Documentary at Chagrin Documentary Film Festival, Best Local Documentary at SF Film Shorts, Audience Award at River and Redwoods Film Festival.
Official Selection: The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, San Tiago Wild, Dutch International Science Film Festival, Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Colorado Environmental Film Festival, New Haven Documentary Film Festival, among others.
Screened at: The annual Bioneers Climate Change Conference and ASLE Climate Change Conference, among others. Part of Schoolhouse Docs program.
Slated for distribution by PBS & ARTE.
TEAM: Directed and Edited by Masha Karpoukhina. Produced by Hassan Said and Rose Wyatt. Cinematography by Justin LaFleur.
Featured works
Authentic storytelling for maximum impact.
In his uplifting and internationally-acclaimed short film “One Word Sawalmem,” co-director Michael “Pom” Preston of the Winnemem Wintu tribe of Mt. Shasta gives us a rare look into the life of local Native wisdom keepers—people who hold humanity’s most intimate knowledge about how to live in balance with the Earth and how to thrive with the natural world.
IMPACT:
Winner: Best Cinematography, Dunedin International Film Festival. Best Doc at American Indian Film Festival, Druk International Film Festival, Culture & Diversity Film Festival, Durango Independent Film Festival. Finalist at Tribeca Film Institute.
Official Selection: American Documentary Film Festival, Buenos Aires International Film Festival, SF Docs, Earth Fest, among many others.
Broadcast on PBS and KQED.
TEAM: Directed by Michael "Pom" Preston and Natasha Deganello Giraudie. Cinematography and Editing by Masha Karpoukhina. Aerial Cinematography by Justin LaFleur.
One word sawalmem
Discovering the story behind the iconic photograph of three boys staring proudly into the lens from behind a barbed wired fence in Manzanar, a Japanese internment camp near Death Valley, California.
IMPACT:
Winner: Emmy for Best Short Documentary in the Category of Diversity and Inclusion, 2022
Golden Reel for Outstanding Documentary Short Film in Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, 2019
Official Selection: Napa Valley Film Festival, Chicago International Social Change Film Festival, Chagrin Documentary Film Fest, among others.
TEAM: Directed and Produced by Preeti Mankar Deb. Cinematography and Editing by Masha Karpoukhina.
THREEBOYSMANZANAR
Bernie Krause: A life with a great animal orchestra
Composed of unpublished archival footage and interviews filmed in California in 2021, “A Life” follows Krause through Sonoma County, where he lives with his wife Katherine. The film positions Krause as a brilliant figure who contemplates the natural world as a poet. “A Life” is at once an ode and an elegy, a celebration of sonic splendor and a solemn plea for change.
IMPACT:
Winner: Best Documentary at Los Angeles CineFest
Part of an immersive acoustic exhibit titled "The Great Animal Orchestra" that has been performed in Paris, London, Milan, Shanghai, Seoul, Sydney, Lille, and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA
It has been heard and seen by over 1.5m visitors since its 2016 Paris premier. It opens at The Exploratorium in SF on June 10th, 2023
TEAM: Produced by Fondation Cartier. Directed by Vincent Tricon. California Producer Hassan Said. California Director Masha Karpoukhina. Cinematography by Justin LaFleur.
MENDING LANDSCAPES
Three Short Films by Masha Karpoukhina Produced by Colorfool Films
These three films represent an inspiring patchwork of some of the most ambitious conservation projects to be undertaken in California in response to the climate crisis. What can be achieved if we decide to work in concert with nature rather than against her? If we decide to learn from the wealth of ecological knowledge embedded in the evolutionary process, billions of years in the making? In many ways, the things that we love most about the Bay Area from our coastal redwoods, to the majesty of the Bay, to the free flowing waters that nourish it, deeply depend on the success of these three projects.
IMPACT: Premiered at the Bioneers 2023 annual conference in Berkeley, CA with live audience attendance of 2000+ and on their online platform with cumulative subscribers of over 220,000. Official Selection: Wild and Scenic Film Festival and River and Redwoods Films Festival, among others. Part of a robust impact and social media campaigns for CalWild, POST and Save The Bay.
As the Bay Area braces for seven feet of sea level rise by the year 2100, Save The Bay, along with partners like the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project, are pioneering nature-based solutions for one of the largest tidal marsh restoration projects on the West Coast. This innovative approach protects Bay Area wildlife and human communities with healthy marshes teeming with native vegetation instead of hardened seawalls or levees.
TEAM: Directing and Cinematography by Masha Karpoukhina. Additional Cinematography and Editing by Justin LaFleur.
Where wetlands grow: Save the Bay
There are so few free-flowing rivers in the U.S. that the Department of the Interior considers them endangered ecosystems. Enter Kayla Lopez, a young river activist, and Steve Evans (aka The River Guy), who has lobbied for wild rivers in Congress his whole life. Both are on a journey into the spirit of the California rivers they hold dear. Follow their stories as we explore CalWild's mission to protect a total of 6,000 miles eligible under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act by 2028.
TEAM: Directing, Cinematography and Editing by Masha Karpoukhina. Additional Cinematography by Justin LaFleur.
6,000 miles: Calwild
A valley endures: peninsula open space trust (POST)
Between two ridges—the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range—lies Coyote Valley, the last remaining, largely undeveloped link connecting 1.13 million acres of habitat that is already severely fragmented by human development. If the wildlife who call these habitats home are to have a chance at adapting to our changing climate, or even surviving, Coyote Valley must be protected forever.
TEAM: Directing and Cinematography by Masha Karpoukhina. Additional Cinematography and Editing by Justin LaFleur.
Our process
What Our Clients Are Saying
“Working with the team at Colorfool Films was an absolute pleasure! Throughout the entire process they demonstrated a genuine passion for their craft and a deep commitment to bringing the vision of our documentary to life. Their attention to detail and willingness to go above and beyond made the entire experience very enjoyable and rewarding. Our crew at CalWild would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a team of professionals who truly care about their clients and the end result.”
Hayley Paronish, calwild
“Masha and Justin went above and beyond to create a wonderful, inspirational film for us! Right from the beginning, Masha had a clear vision on how to tell our story in an impactful way. She has a gift for asking probing questions to capture powerful responses, while simultaneously putting the person being filmed at ease. 5 stars!”
LIZ TORCZYNER, POST
“Working with Masha and her team of filmmakers was beyond an amazing experience. They are so kind and more importantly the product they produce is stunning. The artistry is impeccable and through their films and storytelling they are driving a huge impact. Grateful.”
