Backlot Founder/Director Dana Richie is proud to unveil her collaboration with Morgan Freeman’s independent movie production company, Revelations Entertainment, on the feature documentary “Kumari Girls”, and another with EP/Tech Veteran Stephany Zamora on the  feature documentary “Trustworthy.” 

The joint feature documentary project, “Kumari Girls,” tells the fascinating, exotic story of the living goddess culture in Nepal. The film captures the traditions of worshiping young girls as manifestations of the divine female energy and is Richie’s love letter to all girls coming of age while going through the transition from “extraordinary goddess to ordinary girl.” Morgan Freeman and Revelations were the perfect collaborators for the story as Freeman had previously visited the Kumari in Nepal while filming National Geographic’s, “The Story Of God.”  

"Revelations is thrilled to be collaborating with Dana Richie and Backlot Productions on the feature documentary ‘Kumari Girls,’” shares James Younger, EVP of Factual at Revelations. “It tells the remarkable story of several Nepalese young women who spent their early childhood being worshiped as living goddesses, only to be forced to make an abrupt transition to being just ordinary girls.  It’s a tale of courage in the face of extraordinary change. We hope our documentary sheds light on this fascinating tradition and inspires girls everywhere as they face the sometimes overwhelming challenges of entering adulthood.” 

“I am grateful to our Nepalese production partners in Kathmandu who helped to make the filming our proof of concept sizzle during a pandemic possible,” adds Richie.  

Alongside telling the story of the Kumari in Nepal, Backlot is also producing the feature documentary, “Trustworthy,” which aims to start a conversation about the current state of the American media. The film takes a deep dive into deciphering misinformation, facts versus truth and being able to find common ground in a time where many are experiencing information overload.  Richie and her team embarked on a three-week bus tour from Los Angeles to New York to talk to everyday Americans, as well as news industry experts and journalists including Ali Velshi from MSNBC, Gabriel Escobar, Editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and Comedian/Producer Byron Allen of Allen Media Group, about their thoughts on the media.  

“This was truly a team effort brimming with women power,” says Richie. 

Essential to the production of “Trustworthy” are EP/Tech Veteran Stephany Zamora and CNN veteran producer Denise Quan.  "Dana's approach touches the heart and soul of everyone involved; her work becomes an extension of those collective hearts and souls.  It's really beautiful.  We need that right now,” notes Zamora. 

On top of being an award-winning filmmaker and producer, Richie has also recently created branded content and strategy for the international financial institution, The World Bank, moderated a panel on Mental Health & Hollywood for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and served as a 2021 News & Documentary Emmy Judge. 

Backlot is represented by UTA.