Andrew Rakich

Andrew Rakich is an American filmmaker best known as the creator and host of the YouTube channel Atun-Shei Films. Raised in small-town New England and educated at the UNC School of the Arts, Rakich worked as a living historian at Gettysburg National Military Park before relocating to New Orleans and embarking on a career in independent film. During his longtime day job as a French Quarter tour guide, Rakich came to appreciate the value of entertainment in historical education. He took those skills to YouTube starting in 2018 to produce irreverent documentary content with a combination of high production value and academic rigor. In 2020, Atun-Shei Films exploded in popularity and Rakich began producing educational videos and documentaries full-time, with a particular focus on the history of colonial America and the U.S. Civil War. His work includes the comedic web series Checkmate, Lincolnites! (2019), The Witchfinder General (2019) and Frozen '50s Man (2021). The folk horror epic The Sudbury Devil is his feature film debut as a solo director.