Mary Beth Minnis is an American producer and executive producer of award-winning documentaries. Collaborating on a wide range of topics, from sports professionals to refugees, female entrepreneurs to freedom fighters, her passion is sharing inspirational stories of resilience and hope. Mary Beth’s most recent project Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom aired on PBS and is the recipient of the 2023 Wilbur Award.

Mary Beth first entered the world of filmmaking when she produced a friend’s story of redemption in Grace Walking. Though not publicly available, the film premiered to an audience of five thousand and led to an invitation to produce Return to Mogadishu: Remembering Black Hawk Down. Mary Beth shared that film with the United Nations in 2013, and with audiences at the New York City Soho House and the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She also screened the documentary on a six-city tour of Italy, including the city of Florence, which recognized the screening as a culturally significant event.

Mary Beth has a particular passion for telling stories from Africa. She served as associate producer on Imba Means Sing, which follows three Ugandan children who travel the world with the African Children’s Choir. She was associate producer on Mama Rwanda, the story of two Rwandan women who prevail over extreme poverty in the shadow of genocide. In 2018, she produced Unforgivable (Imperdonabile), which interviews two people on opposing sides of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The film had its world premiere in Florence, Italy; its U.S. premiere at The Museum of Modern Art; and its African premiere at the Kigali Convention Center in Rwanda. 

After Unforgivable, Mary Beth served as producer and executive producer with NBA star Steph Curry on Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story. The film tells the unknown story of the architect of the jump shot and features interviews with Curry and fellow NBA players Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki. Premiering at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival, Jump Shot went on to win the 2019 Grand Jury Documentary Feature Award at the deadCenter Film Festival. 

She also served as an executive producer alongside Katie Couric on Refuge, which follows a Syrian Kurd, a former Klansman, and other refugees living in the most diverse square mile in America—Clarkston, Georgia. Refuge received numerous awards from film festivals across the country, including Best Georgia Feature at the Atlanta Film Festival, which rendered the film eligible for an Academy Award.

Most recently, Mary Beth produced Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom featuring 2022 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Ms. Opal Lee. The documentary aired on PBS and received the 2023 Wilbur Award. Mary Beth also executive produced the film’s accompanying soundtrack and its deluxe version, both featuring two-time Grammy Award-winning hip hop artist, Lecrae.

Mary Beth was born and raised in Edmond, Oklahoma. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, she made her way to Texas and now calls Austin home. She is a member of the Cru Arts & Culture Network, which connects creatives around the world to develop projects that inspire and challenge. Mary Beth’s greatest passion in filmmaking is hearing how stories impact lives and inspire change: She would be thrilled to connect with you, whether you just watched one of these films or are interested in collaborating on a future project.