Luisa Dantas is a Brasilian-American multimedia storyteller whose work centers on race, place, and social justice.

She has produced, written and directed narratives that span genres and modalities, including animated and live-action fiction and traditional and interactive documentary, that feature complex and nuanced protagonists from traditionally underrepresented communities. Her work has received support from the Rockefeller, Surdna, Robert Wood Johnson, and Ford Foundations, among others.

Films

Her most recent film, Rip Tide, premiered at the Mill Valley Film Festival and has screened festivals around the world.

She wrote and co-directed MINE, an animated web series about an unraveling utopian community set in the near future, premiered at the Tribeca film festival and won best web series at American Black Film Festival.  

Luisa also wrote and directed the multi-platform documentary Land of Opportunity, which chronicles the reconstruction of New Orleans through the eyes of those on the frontlines. The project includes a feature film, which was commissioned by Arté in France for the 5th anniversary of Katrina,  and a groundbreaking interactive web platform produced in conjunction with partners in six cities. In 2025 the film was chosen for the Commemorative Hurricane Katrina 20th Anniversary Film Screening Series by Film New Orleans.

In addition, Luisa co-produced the documentary Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, for which she worked undercover as a cashier at a Florida superstore, wearing a hidden camera. 

Director and Executive Producer for Rise-Home Stories

Rise-Home Stories is an innovative storytelling project funded by the Ford Foundation, which brings together artists and advocates from all over the country to collaboratively harness the power of narrative in the fight for housing, land, and racial justice. The award-winning project includes an  animated web series, children’s book, non-fiction podcast, interactive site, and video game that have engaged multigenerational audiences around the world. 

Narrative Consulting

As a narrative consultant, Luisa works with clients in diverse sectors of social justice advocacy and philanthropy to become better storytellers in the fight for a more just and equitable future.