This World is Not My Own

Chewing-gum sculptures, a wealthy gallerist, a firebrand wrestler, a notorious murder case and the segregated south – it’s all part of Nellie Mae Rowe’s boundless universe. This World is Not My Own reimagines this self-taught artist’s world and her life spanning the 20th century. With Uzo Aduba as the animated version of Nellie Mae Rowe.

Touring with the Film

Petter Ringbom (Director, Writer, Cinematographer) Petter’s feature documentary, The Russian Winter, followed musician John Forté’s Russian odyssey after release from prison. His film, Shield and Spear, examined freedom of expression in South Africa. Petter’s films have screened at Tribeca, IDFA, Hot Docs, Film Society of Lincoln Center, the Hammer Museum, Miami Art Basel and Moscow International Film Festival. He has been a Film Independent Fast Track Fellow, a Gotland Film Lab resident at the Ingmar Bergman Estate and a Berlinale Talent.

Ruchi Mital (Writer, Producer) In 2014, Ruchi produced the feature documentary, We Could Be King, which won the Emmy for Outstanding Sports Documentary. Her next two features, Sky Ladder: The Art Of Cai Guo-Qiang (2016) and This is Personal (2019) premiered at Sundance Film Festival. Most recently, she produced two documentary series, The Case Against Adnan Syed for HBO (2019), and The Me You Can't See for Apple TV+ (2021).

Cathi Perry (Family Member) Cathi Perry is the President of the Judith Alexander Foundation and the great-great-niece of Nellie Mae Rowe.