NYWIFT Blog

By Tammy Reese

NYWIFT member and seasoned archival producer Mattie Akers is making a powerful mark at the 2025 Tribeca Festival, where the documentary For Venida, For Kalief will have its world premiere as part of the Documentary Competition lineup.

Directed by Sisa Bueno, the film explores the enduring impact of Kalief Browder and his mother Venida Browder, whose lives were tragically shaped by systemic injustice. Told through poetry, activism, and powerful archival material, the film is a deeply moving reflection on loss, resilience, and legacy.

With over two decades in the documentary field, Akers brings her passion for social issues, historical research, and storytelling to the forefront in this timely and emotional project.

NYWIFT Member Mattie Akers (image courtesy of Mattie Akers)

Please introduce yourself to our readers and share a bit about your background in film and archival producing.

After my first job working on a doc right after college, where I used skills I had picked up for my undergraduate degree — including oral history transcription and archival research — I decided to go back to school and get an MFA in film production.

After that, I worked in supporting production and post-production roles for several years before jumping into archival producing full-time. There was an explosion in archival work that happened about 10 years ago and that made it easier to get jobs.

Congratulations on the world premiere of For Venida, For Kalief at the 2025 Tribeca Festival, and as part of the Documentary Competition! Can you give us a glimpse into what the film is about — without giving too much away?

I am so honored to be able to contribute to For Venida, For Kalief, which has been a longtime labor of love for director Sisa Bueno and her team. I think for many New Yorkers, we are already familiar with the tragic story of Kalief Browder. Sisa’s film is a reckoning with the legacy of Kalief’s story, told in a poetic, challenging, and ultimately hopeful way. The poetry of Kalief’s mother, Venida Browder, structures the film.

As the Archival Producer for this project, what exactly did your role entail? What kind of footage or materials were you responsible for curating and clearing?

Sisa brought me on to work on specific historical sequences that put the rest of the film in some context. I also did some minor research and clearance work related to other archival (third party) materials in the film.

Still from For Venida, For Kalief (image courtesy of Tribeca)

What was the experience like working on For Venida, For Kalief? Were there any moments that were especially challenging or rewarding in your archival journey on the project?

There are always moments that are challenging and/or rewarding — sometimes both at the same time! I remember Sisa’s first ask was for me to come up with a timeline and map of the history of jails in NYC. I thought that would be easy — surely at least one book already covered that territory? Well, what I found was more complicated.

It’s not the first time I’ve worked on a project with significant themes about incarceration, but when you start to dig into areas that mainstream culture doesn’t really cover, you can discover a lot, and be outraged over and over again.

I’ll also just shout out the amazing archival resources of NYC, in particular the New York Public Library, the NYC Municipal Archives, and John Jay College.

How did you become involved with this film? Was there a personal connection to the story, or did the opportunity arise through a professional collaboration?

Sisa had seen some of my work on another film and reached out.

You’re a member of New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT). What inspired you to join the organization, and what impact has being part of the NYWIFT community had on your career and creative journey?

I’ve been a NYWIFT member for about as long as I’ve lived in NYC. I think I originally joined because it seemed like all the established women (and some men) in the industry who I looked up to were members and urged me to join. Now it’s how I get my health insurance!

Aside from For Venida, For Kalief, are there any other exciting projects you’re currently working on or have coming up soon? We’d love to know what’s next for you.

I am a freelancer so I’m usually working on a few different projects that I can’t talk about! [Laughs] I’m always interested to hear from folks who might want to collaborate.

Keep up with Mattie Akers on her website https://mattieakersresearch.com.

Follow the film on Instagram at @forvenidaforkalief.

Learn more about For Venida, For Kalief at the Tribeca Festival: https://www.tribecafilm.com/films/for-venida-for-kalief-2025

Learn more about the rest of the NYWIFT member projects at Tribeca 2025!

Mattie Akers was introduced to social issue documentaries during coursework in college, at a time when the some of the first blockbuster theatrical documentaries were making a splash. After college, she veered into documentary filmmaking, and hasn’t looked back. She has been lucky enough to be able to use her multifaceted interests in culture and history, as well as picking up some legal and business skills along the way, and has worked in the documentary field for over two decades now. She has worked for many outstanding directors and producers, and always enjoys learning about new topics for each project. She has lived in NYC since 2010.