ABOUT
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
T.C. Johnstone is a multi-award-winning documentary film director/producer. He has produced and directed multiple features and short documentaries including “Rising From Ashes,” executive produced by Oscar winning actor Forest Whitaker. This 2013 feature length documentary is about two worlds colliding when cycling legend Jock Boyer moves to Rwanda to help a group of struggling genocide survivors pursue their dream of a national team. The film won awards at 19 film festivals, received US and international distribution and was a catalyst for the creation of the Rising From Ashes Foundation which continues to support the work of peace and reconciliation.
Additional film projects include numerous successful short documentary films. “Red Horizon” (2021) follows a group of young pilots dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen while pursuing their dream of becoming professional aviators and inspiring the black community to take to the skies to change the racial imbalance in the world of aviation. “Teen Press” (2015), winner of numerous festival audience awards, follows an innovative teacher and a group of aspiring teens participating in a unique immersive journalism program at Santa Barbara Middle School. TC’s newest film, “In the Dirt,” has successfully screened in over 50 communities since its release in September 2023. This film follows a group of passionate Native American cyclists, school social workers, and community elders attempting to bring the sport of mountain biking to the Navajo Nation, where no bike shops exist.
T.C. is also the founder of the Gratis 7 Media Group Foundation which produces films designed to create measurable change in 5 specific areas: reconciliation, equipping servant leaders, assisting the poor, caring for the sick, and educating the next generation. T.C. and his wife, Kristen, are partners in their company Gratis 7 Productions. They live in Boulder, CO. T.C. continues to produce and direct films as well as consult non-profits on media strategy.
Gratis 7 Films goes behind the scenes of impact documentary films to give you the rest of the story. We sit down with the cast, crew and a few special guest to give you an inside look into impact documentary filmmaking and the lifestyle that goes with it.
