About
Denizen is a New York-based, independent production company that specializes in exceptional, provocative works of non-fiction art and real-world impact.
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Leveraging documentary storytelling and advocacy, we create original and branded works that inform, immerse, and inspire audiences toward collective progress. Our films have been supported by the Academy-Award nominated team at Field of Vision, Amnesty International, Doc Society, the Singapore International Film Festival, and Scientific American.
A denizen is anyone who calls a place home, regardless of their legal status. By extension, we are committed to breaking down barriers, creating meaningful spaces of community and risk-taking, and reaching audiences worldwide through new modes of storytelling and collaboration.
Jacob Fertig
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Jacob Fertig is a New York-based filmmaker and writer whose work unites documentary traditions and social action. He is a Senior Fellow at Humanity in Action, a 2020 Full Frame Fellow, 2021 Doc Society Art & Impact Fellow, a 2022 NYU Feature Development Studio Fellow, and a 2022 Doc Society Co-Creation Lab Fellow. Jacob is a member of the Documentary Producers Alliance. He holds a BFA in Film & Television from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and an MPA in Nonprofit Management, Advocacy & Political Action from the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. He resides on Lenape land and pays tribute to stewards past, present, and emerging.
Jaydn Ray Gosselin
Co-Founder & Creative Director
Jaydn Ray Gosselin is a US-based, French-Australian filmmaker, editor, and cinematographer who works at the intersection of art and advocacy. His work focuses on the human rights implications of applied sciences and how histories, technologies, and traumas are embedded in community spaces, hidden sanctuaries, and built environments. Jaydn was previously a Co-Creation Lab Fellow at Doc Society; an Art & Impact Fellow at Doc Society; a Doc.Lab.Interact Fellow with Anagram, ScreenVic, and AIDC; and a Development Studio Fellow at the NYU Production Lab. He holds a BFA in Film & Television from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He resides on Lenape land in New York and was raised on Gadigal land of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the place we now call Sydney.
Co-Creators & Collaborators
An international artist based between Singapore and New York City, Carin's documentary "Waiting Space," was distributed by Scientific American in 2023, and her upcoming documentary with Denizen, "Sandcastles," was selected for IF/Then SEA jointly organized by Tribeca Film Institute and IN-DOCS in 2020. SANDCASTLES will be distributed by Field of Vision in 2024. Previously, "Canciones de Memories" premiered at the 29th Singapore International Film Festival. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, Hakai Magazine, and The Atlantic. She is a 2020 Fellow with the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and a BFA/BS graduate from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and Stern School of Business.
Benjamin Freemantle
A Canadian-born filmmaker based in New York, Benjamin is known for his editing and production work for platforms like Netflix, HBO, Hulu, and National Geographic, on productions recognized with Emmy awards and the shortlist for the Oscars. His directing work includes "Where Are You From Again?," winner of Best Drama Short at the London Independent Film Festival, and "Mixed Feelings," an Official Selection at the Bronzelens Film Festival. Benjamin graduated with honors Summa Cum Laude from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Beyond his audio and visual storytelling work, Ben is an avid enthusiast of dancing, running, and a good cup of coffee.
Brianda Gosselin-Hickey
Brianda Gosselin-Hickey is a Tucson-raised, Chicana social justice educator, bilingual mental health counselor, and adjunct professor at New York University. She is the Consulting Project on the Denizen feature documentary, ABSTRACT, where she applies her expertise and experience on-set and behind the scenes to ensure that the film portrays migrant communities with accuracy, cultural competence, respect, and empowerment. She holds a combined M.A. and Ed.M. in Bilingual Latinx Mental Health Counseling with a diploma in Women, Gender & Sexuality from Columbia University, and a B.S. in Applied Psychology from NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
Fellowships, Labs & Trainings
Mental Health First Aid | NYC Dept of Health | 2023 |
Sundance Collab | Sundance Institute | 2021 |
Doc.Lab.Interact | AIDC & Anagram | 2022 |
Feature Development Studio | NYU Production Lab | 2022 |
Art & Impact Fellowship | Doc Society Australia | 2022 |
Co-Creation Lab | Doc Society | 2022 |
Digital Security Clinic | Field of Vision & Freedom of the Press Foundation | 2023 |