Chris J. Russo

Chris J. Russo is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, artist, and educator whose work explores social justice, community, and the meaning of home. She directed and produced the feature documentary Lady Buds, available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime, 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 Tahitian Terrace Radio, a documentary video podcast chronicling the residents of the historic Tahitian Terrace mobile home park as they fight to return home and rebuild their community after the Palisades Fire. Blending personal storytelling, investigative reporting, and creative nonfiction, the project examines housing justice, civic accountability, and what it means to rebuild a community after a disaster.

 

Russo's career spans feature films, documentary series, podcasts, branded content, and immersive media. Her credits include producing and leading post-production for projects with Treat Media (We Can Do Hard Things), Gordon Ramsay Productions, FOX Television, Paramount+, and major digital platforms. She specializes in guiding projects from concept to completion, combining expertise in story development, production, post-production, and emerging media technologies.

 

Beginning her career at Kodak and ARRI as a film and digital imaging specialist, Russo developed a rare combination of creative vision and technical expertise. At CSULB, she mentors emerging filmmakers while continuing to create work at the intersection of documentary, art, and journalism, exploring how stories can strengthen communities and deepen our understanding of place.