Sarah Rachael's Personal Tale

In our Season III premiere, we are deeply honored to welcome independent filmmaker, producer, and advocate Sarah Rachael Wainio.

Before becoming a powerhouse documentary and television producer, Sarah first entered non-fiction media as a story participant following the loss of her sister, Honor Elizabeth "Lizzie" Wainio, aboard hijacked United Flight 93 over Shanksville, Pennsylvania. That profound firsthand experience transformed her approach to story, driving a lifelong commitment to ethics, trauma-informed practices, and participant care in non-fiction storytelling.

As the founder of Fearless Productions, Sarah has produced over 15 seasons of television for networks like Discovery Channel, Netflix, MTV, WEtv, TLC, The Food Network, and Magnolia Network. Her credits include field producing civic engagement short films for ATTN: featuring President Barack Obama, and field producing Season 2 of THE LOST KITCHEN (HBO Max), which earned Realscreen’s 2023 Best Lifestyle Docureality Food Show.

Her extensive documentary filmography includes contributions to landmark films such as THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON (Netflix), 32 PILLS: MY SISTER’S SUICIDE (HBO Max), One October (PBS), and BUSY INSIDE (PBS). Recognized in 2023 as one of DOC NYC's Documentary New Leaders, Sarah continues to reshape the field as co-chair of the Documentary Producers Alliance Ethics Committee and as a core member of the "Ethics Squad."

Currently producing the feature documentary METAMORPHOSIS (about the Paul Taylor Dance Company), Sarah is also making her directorial debut with I CARRY YOU WITH ME, a deeply personal short film honoring her sister Lizzie's memory.

Episode Links & Resources

• Support Sarah's Directorial Debut: Learn more and support the fundraising campaign for I CARRY YOU WITH ME.

• Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA) Ethics Resource Library: Explore the DPA Ethics Resource Library

• Documentary Accountability Working Group (DAWG): Learn more about the Documentary Accountability Working Group

• Peace is Loud: Visit Peace is Loud to explore their work centering care, accountability, and film impact

  
  

Show Credits

True Crime & Hollywood: A Personal Tale is a La Activista Production, hosted and executive produced by Celene Beth Olsen, with music by Mickey O’Brien.