Chris J. Russo

Chris J. Russo is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, artist, and educator whose work explores social justice, place-based storytelling, and resilience. She directed and produced the feature documentary Lady Buds, which can be seen on AppleTV+ and Amazon, and co-executive produced Beyond the Aggressives for Showtime, winner of the 2024 GLAAD Documentary Award. Her films have screened at the Sundance Film Festival and hundreds of festivals worldwide.

 

She is currently developing Kiki Place, a documentary video podcast and multimedia project chronicling the fight of wildfire survivors from Tahitian Terrace to return home after the Palisades Fire. Blending first-person storytelling, investigative reporting, and experimental nonfiction, the project reflects Russo’s commitment to deeply personal, community-centered work rooted in lived experience.

 

Russo’s career spans feature films, documentary series, podcasts, branded content, and immersive media. Her credits include producing and supervising post production for projects with Treat Media (We Can Do Hard Things), FilmRise, Paramount, Gordon Ramsay Productions, Fox Television, and major digital platforms. She brings deep expertise in editorial craft, emerging technologies, and complex post-production workflows.

 

Beginning her career at Kodak and ARRI as a film and digital imaging expert, Russo developed a rare blend of creative and technical leadership. As a professor at CSULB, she is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of storytellers to work with integrity, curiosity, and care—using media as a tool for connection, accountability, and change.