Hunger
Build dependable support for food banks, community distribution, and sustainable food production.
Nonprofit film organization · 501(c)(3)
Cinema with a cause.
Ndovu Films harnesses the power of cinema to eradicate hunger and homelessness while creating educational and entrepreneurial opportunity.
Our four acts
Film is only the beginning
Stories that move audiences. A model that moves resources.
We produce and support films with the power to earn, endure, and serve.
Ndovu Films reinvests proceeds from storytelling into initiatives that address hunger, homelessness, educational disparities, and barriers to entrepreneurship. Each production is designed to create two outcomes: meaningful cinema and lasting community capacity.
Housing
Help communities create safe, affordable paths out of homelessness.
Education
Open doors through scholarships, mentorship, and creative career opportunities.
Entrepreneurship
Back local founders whose ideas create jobs and strengthen underserved communities.
The Ndovu model
One film. Four acts of change.
A circular approach that helps filmmakers create, helps stories reach audiences, and directs success back into communities.
- 01
Resources enter the frame
Equipment makers, funders, and corporate partners contribute gear, capital, and expertise.
- 02
Filmmakers make the work
Independent storytellers receive production support, mentorship, and a route to distribution.
- 03
Stories create revenue
Film income builds a sustainable source of funding beyond traditional donations.
- 04
Revenue becomes impact
Net proceeds help fund food, housing, education, and small-business opportunity.
Open calls
Opportunity behind and beyond the lens.
Programs for independent filmmakers, students, and entrepreneurs turn the organization’s mission into practical next steps.
01For filmmakers
Indie Alliance
Funding pathways, professional equipment, mentorship, production guidance, and distribution support for independent filmmakers committed to social-impact storytelling.
See how it works02For students
Jenella Camphor Education Scholarships
Need- and merit-based support for students entering college or vocational programs, with dedicated opportunities for film, media, arts, and social-impact studies.
See how it works03For founders
L.V. Jones Entrepreneur Grant
Early support for entrepreneurs building useful, resilient businesses that create opportunity in underserved communities.
Ask about this programThe long take
An 84-year story of measurable change.
The horizon is generational: films that move audiences, partnerships that mobilize resources, and communities equipped to thrive.
Explore the complete plan- 2024
A mission begins
Ndovu Films is founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit built to connect powerful storytelling with sustained community investment.
- Years 1–3
Foundation and revenue activation
Build partnerships, equip the first productions, and establish a dependable film-to-impact model.
- Years 3–12
Regional reach to national scale
Grow production, deepen community programs, and expand across the Southeast and beyond.
- Years 12–48
Leadership through cinema
Become a recognized force in socially impactful film, education, housing, and food security.
- Toward 2100
A global cultural legacy
Share a self-sustaining model for cinema-led social impact with communities around the world.
The origin story
Built from a calling to serve.
After helping communities in Asheville following Hurricane Helene in October 2024, Demetris A. Jones founded Ndovu Films around a clear conviction: cinema can finance sustained social change.
As Founder and President, Jones brings experience in entrepreneurship, community service, and helping new founders establish their businesses. His long view positions every project as both a story and an engine for opportunity.
Demetris A. Jones · Founder & PresidentEnter the story
Put your name behind the next powerful frame.
Donate equipment or funds. Sponsor a production. Collaborate as a filmmaker, actor, or crew member. Volunteer your expertise.