Chris is a film director and the founder of Optimist, a non-profit studio in Los Angeles. In 2023, he was recognized as one of the 40 under 40 top documentary filmmakers of 2023 by HBO and DOC NYC. He’s best known for directing the feature documentaries Living On One Dollar, Salam Neighbor, and Five Years North. His films have been released globally by Netflix, HBO, Hulu, and PBS, and have premiered at Tribeca, DOCNYC, Full Frame, AFI Docs, & MountainFilm. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Variety, and The Atlantic, and has helped raise over $91 million dollars for poverty alleviation and refugee support efforts. His work at Optimist has won 1 Gold Telly Award, 4 Shorty Awards, 2 ADDY Awards, 1 Webby Award, and 2 AVA Digital Awards. Chris recently directed the feature film This Is Not Financial Advice, exploring the psychology of investing in the modern digital era. And is currently co-directing an untitled feature film about Ethereum.