The 8th Principle |
The 8th Principle |
Faith, race, and reckoning—how far will a community go for real change?
Sophia Uehara, a mixed-race filmmaker and Unitarian Universalist, documents her congregation’s upheaval in adopting the 8th Principle, an anti-racist pledge. Interviewing various BIPOC UU leaders and activists across the United States, she explores the challenge of holding a mostly white religious community accountable to its ideals, exposing tensions between belief, allyship, and action.
CHARACTERS |
CHARACTERS |








FILM STILLS
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FILM STILLS |
DIRECTOR STATEMENT |
DIRECTOR STATEMENT |
Sophia Uehara is a second-generation Japanese-American documentary director and production designer. With a career rooted in visual storytelling, Sophia brings a unique perspective to her work, drawing on her background in art direction to craft compelling narratives that explore identity, representation, and social change.
Raised by two classically trained visual artists, Sophia developed a fascination with the intersection of art, media, and education. As a production designer, she has designed award-winning features, commercials, and music videos including Our Son (dir. Bill Oliver), which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, and If I Die in America (dir. Ward Kamel), which debuted at SXSW 2024. Commercial clients like Google, Lexus, Starbucks, and AT&T have also entrusted her with visually shaping their campaigns. She completed her education at Tisch School of the Arts.
Sophia's transition into documentary filmmaking builds on her extensive experience in visual storytelling, combining her keen eye for detail with her passion for amplifying underrepresented voices. Her work as a director is guided by a deep commitment to portraying marginalized communities with dignity and nuance, challenging stereotypes, and fostering deeper understanding. She believes in the transformative power of media to inspire empathy, shift cultural narratives, and spark meaningful dialogue.