Marlo McKenzie
About
About Me
Filmmaker | Storyteller | Visual Artist
Marlo McKenzie believes that stories can change the world, and that to create a better one, we must first be able to imagine it.
McKenzie produced BUTTERFLY TOWN, USA and STANDING ON SACRED GROUND. She directed MY SECRET COUNTRY, a hybrid documentary and environmental allegory that explores the rich imaginative lives of three children. When their imaginary friends discover that dessert is disappearing across the globe, they must act swiftly to save it. The film premiered at the San Francisco Documentary Film Festival, won Best Feature Documentary at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, and has since aired on PBS and is streaming on platforms like Amazon and Tubi.
Her work extends beyond traditional cinema into immersive and location-based storytelling. She developed a prototype for a Walking Cinema Tour, created a companion iPhone app, and has presented work projected onto San Francisco's iconic Coit Tower, exploring new ways audiences can experience place-based narratives.
McKenzie also co-wrote, co-directed, produced, and served as director of photography on a feature documentary about San Francisco's legendary 1960s performer Carol Doda. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in 2023 before screening at the Mill Valley Film Festival. It was distributed by Picturehouse and released theatrically in the US and Canada.
Before finding a home as a producer and director in San Francisco, McKenzie lived several creative lives. The Detroit native spent time in Europe working in theater and studying in France. In Australia, she co-founded a video production company that prepared underserved youth for careers in media.
At its core, my work examines how relationships between humans and the worlds around us shape identity, culture, creativity, and our sense of what is possible.
"The universe is made of stories, not atoms"
Muriel Rukeyser, poet
Select Awards
MY SECRET COUNTRY
WINNER - Best Feature Documentary, San Diego International Kids Film Festival, USA
WINNER - Best Documentary North America, Kids International Family Film Festival, USA
BUTTERFLY TOWN, USA
WINNER - Best Feature Documentary, San Diego International Kids Film Festival, USA
HONORABLE MENTION - Atlanta Children's Film Festival, USA
WINNER - Participants’ Choice Award Winner, PBS POV Hackathon, USA
STANDING ON SACRED GROUND
WINNER - Native American Film Festival, Best Documentary Feature Award, USA