Level Forward, the New York-based entertainment company operating as a public benefit corporation, continues to advance its model of blending commercial projects with social impact amid industry challenges. The firm, co-founded in 2018 by Adrienne Becker and Abigail Disney, has expanded its portfolio to include high-profile stage and screen ventures while partnering with more than 100 organizations.
Recent announcements highlight the company's momentum. It plans to stage The Vagina Monologues next year in collaboration with Roundabout Theater, V formerly known as Eve Ensler, and director Noma Dumezweni. Level Forward also serves as a general partner with Barbara Broccoli, Angelica Zollo, Patrick Milling-Smith and Brian Carmody on a new production of Girl, Interrupted set for New York’s Public Theater in May.
Filmmaker Olive Nwosu’s debut feature Lady, which follows a female taxi driver in Lagos, earned the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting Ensemble at Sundance. The project aligns with Level Forward’s focus on stories that reflect broader societal possibilities, according to company statements.
CEO Adrienne Becker described the firm’s approach in a recent interview. “Screen and stage creative choices leading to productions that portray what the world could be, while earning accolades and better than industry average financial recoupment,” she said. The company has also developed The Queen’s Gambit musical and a new feature with Waititi Productions and Janelle Monáe’s Wondaland.
Becker met Disney through an investor group that explored acquiring Weinstein Company assets in 2018. The bid did not proceed, but the pair launched Level Forward instead. Disney serves on the board without day-to-day involvement or financial subsidies, Becker noted. “She is completely committed,” Becker added.
The seven-person staff includes head of impact Carmelyn P. Malalis, former NYC commissioner on human rights, and playwright Andrea Ambam as director of programming. Past credits encompass films such as The Assistant, Björk: Cornucopia, Mountains and The Year Between, along with stage works including Good Night, and Good Luck, Suffs, Jagged Little Pill and How To Dance in Ohio.
Level Forward recently completed a pilot for the food travel series Soul Table featuring former CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin, activist LaTosha Brown and Michelin chef Dominique Crenn. It also launched the Mother Justice short film series following the Oscar-nominated short Red, White and Blue, which centered on a single mother seeking an abortion across state lines.
Revenue has grown consistently over the past five years with narrowed losses, though specific financial figures remain undisclosed. The company now targets films in the $5 million to $15 million budget range, up from earlier projects between $2 million and $4 million.
External pressures on social justice and DEI initiatives have affected partners. “People lose their jobs. Organizations shut down… I’m shocked that we were able to do everything that we did last year because there’s been so much retrenchment,” Becker said. She expressed optimism about the broader shift toward sustainable entertainment models.
“There’s something about this movement — this idea that commercial entertainment should be sustainable and accountable — that’s taking hold,” Becker stated. The public benefit corporation structure legally requires balancing profit with positive societal or environmental outcomes, a framework Level Forward has maintained since inception.
Community partners receive stock options as part of regenerative economic efforts. The company’s ecosystem includes funders and organizations that also hold ownership stakes in select projects.
Industry observers note the entertainment sector’s ongoing flux, with Level Forward positioning itself as an alternative to traditional studio models. Its work spans documentaries, features, plays and musicals while emphasizing accountability.
Looking ahead, the firm continues to develop new partnerships and content. Officials said the approach has allowed steady progress despite wider industry retrenchment and shifting priorities around impact initiatives.