We created Portraits of Another Life out of a love for STORYTELLING, FILM, and people who have chosen to live outside the default.
As filmmakers, we’ve always been interested in work that does more than just look good. We care about stories that carry feeling, reveal something true, and stay with you after they’re over. That instinct is a big part of why we built our production company, and it’s our north star in any work we take on, whether personal or professional.
At the same time, we’ve always loved meeting people. Especially the ones who have shaped their lives in ways that feel thoughtful, unconventional, or deeply their own.
This docuseries gives us a way to bring all of that together.
It lets us make beautiful, intentional films while spending time with people whose lives reflect a different set of choices — people who have built around art, craft, land, purpose, family, or freedom instead of simply following the script they were handed. It also lets us build a community of like-minded folks, like you, who love the intersection of art, creative expression and alternative living.
The YouTube channel is where those stories take their final form. The newsletter is where we share notes, reflections, stills and the ideas that continue to surface as we make the work. And the Patreon is where we share behind-the-scenes moments, uncut interviews, and other unreleased material.
Our hope is that these stories don’t just document interesting lives, but offer something to the people watching and reading too. Maybe inspiration. Maybe perspective. Maybe just the reminder that there is more than one way to live a meaningful life.
Welcome. We’re happy to have you here.
WHO WE ARE
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WHO WE ARE ▶︎
We’re Emil and Arnelle Lozada, the duo behind Portraits of Another Life. Emil is a documentary filmmaker, director, and editor; Arnelle is a producer, photographer, and content creator. Together, we’ve spent more than a decade making thoughtful, visually rich work across film and photography. Our commissioned work has included projects with Airbnb.org, Re:wild, HGTV, Food Network, and Condé Nast Traveller, while our independent documentaries have screened at festivals including SXSW, DOC NYC, and Palm Springs International Film Festival. Most recently, we directed and produced Armadillo Man, a documentary scheduled to air nationally on PBS in summer 2026. We believe film is not just a medium for storytelling, but a way of creating connection, which is why we also support The Bay List, the recently-launched Bay Area extension of The Black List.