Kyle Hausmann-Stokes

Visiting Filmmaker, MFA in Film

photo by Audrey Ma

Profile

Kyle Hausmann-Stokes’ films, social activism and passion center on veterans, mental health and common sense gun safety. Enlisting in the military out high school and just a month before 9/11, Kyle served five years in the US Army’s airborne infantryman, is combat veteran of Iraq and recipient of the Bronze Star.  After using his G.I. Bill to graduate from film school, Kyle went on to create dozens of PSAs for U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs about mental health, homelessness, military sexual trauma and suicide prevention. In 2012 Kyle co-founded Veterans in Media & Entertainment, a national nonprofit that provides community, training and jobs to its thousands of active members across the country. 

Kyle’s ‘VETERANS FOR GUN REFORM PSA for the 2018 #MarchForOurLives campaign has over 40 million views and his award-winning, autobiographical short film MERITxZOE was the center of a national impact campaign with The Mission Continues, Bob Woodruff Foundation and Everytown For Gun Safety. Kyle is writer/producer/director of the feature film MY DEAD FRIEND ZOE (2024 SXSW Audience Award) a dark comedy drama about veterans starring MORGAN FREEMAN, ED HARRIS, SONEQUA MARTIN-GREEN and NATALIE MORALES.