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Welcome to Dream of a Better World, where the art of storytelling meets the urgency of our times. I’m filmmaker Vanessa Hope and this is where I zoom in on the craft, politics, and personal stakes of making meaningful art and zoom out to examine the systems, histories, and movements that shape what gets seen and who gets heard and why.

I offer tools, insights, and inspiration for those who want to tell stories that matter — stories that challenge power, cross cultures, and elevate the truth. Whether you’re a filmmaker, writer, activist, or simply someone searching for meaning in the noise, you’ll find clarity, courage, and craft here.

This space is for those who believe story is strategy and that culture is upstream of change. Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website. I’ll share behind-the-scenes reflections from my filmmaking work, dive into stories that inspire resistance and renewal, and spotlight books, films, and people who are shaping a freer, fairer future.

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A creative, cinematic, and collective space for bold moral imagination. In increasingly authoritarian times, this is a gathering place for those who believe storytelling, art, and community can reimagine democracy and expand what’s possible. Join me!

People

Vanessa Hope

@vanessahope

Award-winning filmmaker. Check out my films on IMDB. Co-writer & co-host of the podcast, LOVE IS A CRIME. Worked in foreign policy. Was in a PhD at Columbia University. I speak Mandarin Chinese, and some French -- under the right circumstances.