Championing Southern Stories and Makers

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Director & Producer Victoria Bouloubasis is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, journalist and professor based in Durham, N.C. Her work aims to dispel myths about the Global South against the backdrop of complex social, political and personal histories. In 2024, she directed and co-produced FORGET ME NOT for Univision, an Emmy-nominated short doc about the rising rates of dementia in the Mexico-Texas borderlands. In 2023, RISING UP IN THE HEARTLAND (Univision) won 1st place in the Documentary Journalism category at the Picture of the Year International (POYi) contest, a 1st place ONA award for pandemic coverage, and was nominated for a 2023 News & Doc Emmy. HEROES OF THE PANDEMIC, a Univision/Enlace Latino NC film she co-directed and co-produced, won a 2021 Murrow Award and two 2021 Webby Awards. NIÑAS, a film she co-directed and produced with Agencia Ocote in Guatemala, was part of a comprehensive transmedia project that won the 2022 Premio Gabo. She was a producer for the PBS docuseries SOMEWHERE SOUTH (2020). Victoria has reported from the US South and rural Midwest, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Greece. She is an alumna of the New Orleans Film Society Southern Producers Lab, DocShop South, IWMF, and UC Berkeley's Investigative Reporting Film Fellowship. THE LAST PARTERA is her first feature.

Big news for the SDF community! How to Sue the Klan, a powerful documentary supported through Southern Documentary Fund and distributed by Reel South, has been nominated for Best Regional Documentary at the News & Documentary Emmy Awards.

Following its recent Mid-South Regional Emmy win, the film advanced to national consideration, marking an exciting milestone for the team and the continued impact of Southern storytelling. Originally acquired through Reel South’s festival award partnership with the Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival, the project was also made possible through the support of Tennessee public media partners.

Join us in celebrating this incredible achievement and the filmmakers, WTCI, and the Tennessee Public Television Council behind this work. This nomination is a testament to the strength, urgency, and national resonance of stories rooted in the American South.

Congratulations to the team behind La Orquesta on being named an Official Selection of the Lake Tahoe Documentary Film Festival 2026!

Location | Room 2 - Azul | Margaritaville

About La Orquesta: 

LA ORQUESTA follows Juana, an indomitable teacher and activist, and her orchestra over the course of one school year. Through cinéma vérité, intimate interviews and archival footage, the film tells the story of a community coming together to offer its children opportunities that should be accessible to all, even as they navigate health and financial challenges and increasing hostility toward immigrants.

We’re excited to celebrate the completion of The Danger of Disclosure and it screened this past weekend at the Bethesda Film Festival in the DC area. Congratulations to the filmmaking team on reaching this incredible milestone and bringing this powerful story to life. 

About The Danger of Disclosure: 

For more than 30 years, a weary group of sex abuse survivors have tried to get the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to report and remove sexual predators, many pastors, within their midst. These survivors picketed Southern Baptist conventions, wrote numerous letters to church leaders, appeared on news programs, and blogged prolifically—only to be met with gaslighting and stonewalling from denominational leadership. But a seismic shift happened after advocate Rachael Denhollander led an army of women to speak up about Dr. Larry Nassar’s abuse of gymnasts: Rachael became the general of another army of abuse survivors—this time within the SBC. Now the denomination faces a season of reckoning as an explosive independent investigation releases their report investigating 20 years of abuse allegations.

When the paper mill that sustained a small Appalachian town for over a century shuts down, its people face not only economic collapse, but a deeper question—who are they without it?

A portrait of the life, music, and mentorship of jazz pianist Yusuf Salim, from his early years immersed in Baltimore’s jazz scene to his transformative contributions to the jazz and Muslim communities in Durham.

As restrictions tighten across the country, Durham, North Carolina preps for the annual Beaver Queen Pageant: a campy, un-beaver-lievable celebration of LGBTQIA activism, environmental conservation, and outrageous critter cosplay.

Free Joan Little tells the story of the 1975 groundbreaking case of Joan Little, who was the first woman in U.S. history to be acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault.

An ensemble of doulas and expectant parents reveals how advocacy in pregnancy and birth can protect against trauma and, especially for BIPOC families, become a life-saving force within a challenging healthcare system.

A chronicle of a woman’s courageous fight for survival, whose 1975 acquittal challenged injustice and inspired a nation to confront sexual violence and racism.

Congratulations to Moonchild: The Life and Music of Yusuf Salim on its screening at the Hayti Heritage Center. We are honored to see this powerful story of artistry, legacy, and cultural impact shared with audiences in a space so deeply rooted in Black history and creative expression.

About Moonchild: The Life and Music of Yusuf Salim:

Moonchild: The Life and Music of Yusuf Salim follows the musical journey of jazz pianist, composer, and mentor Yusuf Salim from his early years immersed in the Baltimore jazz scene to his transformative contributions to the cultural and musical life in Durham, NC, and beyond. Although plagued by racism and other challenges, Salim’s faith in Islam created guiding principles of love and unity that informed his music and his relationships with budding artists and inspired his development of safe community spaces for racial harmony.

We’re excited to share a special gathering that celebrates a powerful Southern story in the making. Rip Cord Productions invites you to Tiny, a documentary fundraiser offering a preview of the remarkable life of North Carolina native and aviation pioneer Tiny Broadwick.

This event is a chance to come together in support of documentary storytelling while getting an early look at a story rooted in courage, innovation, and history. Join fellow community members, filmmakers, and supporters for an evening of connection, conversation, and inspiration. Refreshments, beer, wine, and food will be provided as we celebrate this project and the legacy it brings to light.

About Tiny:

Georgia Anne Thompson (Tiny Broadwick) was born on April 8, 1893 in Henderson, North Carolina into a poor family with few prospects. Georgia married at twelve, becoming a mother at 13, and abandoned by her husband after the birth of her daughter, she went on to became a fearless aviation pioneer at fourteen years of age. Tiny became the first person to make a free fall parachute jump and invented the ripcord just ten years after the Wright Brother's first flight in 1913. Her 'ripcord' system would save countless aviators’ lives and started modern parachuting for the military and sport. Tiny started jumping as a child and risked her life countless times as a young teenager when women were not allowed to vote. While males became aviation legends, Tiny was left behind, her contributions overshadowed and uncredited. Through newly uncovered photographs from Tiny’s family and interviews, Tiny's story comes to life to claim her rightful place in history.

Location | 20 Wrights Alley, Wilmington, NC, USA

Time | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Join us for a special Kinema screening of Stay Prayed Up, a moving portrait of faith, music, and community rooted in the American South. Centered on the powerful voice and spirit of Mother Lena Mae Perry and her gospel group, The Branchettes, the film captures a legacy of song that has uplifted generations. As Perry prepares for a long-awaited live recording, Stay Prayed Up offers an intimate look at devotion, friendship, and the enduring impact of Southern storytelling—on stage and beyond.

About Stay Prayed Up:

A revered “Mother” to many in her community, Lena Mae Perry, 82, has lifted countless spirits with her booming voice as part of The Branchettes, a renowned North Carolina gospel trio. The Branchettes have recorded several studio albums and performed as far aways as Ireland over their 45 year history, but have never recorded a full live album. STAY PRAYED UP offers a heartwarming portrait of Perry as she prepares for a special live recorded performance, which turns out to be the last with her long-time piano player Wilbur Tharpe. An unlikely friendship with Phil Cook, a bandleader and producer half her age, and the surprising aspects of her ministry offer poignant meditations on faith far beyond the church door.

Location | Kinema

Time | 7:00 PM 

A powerful and long-overdue story is coming to light. Acclaimed actor Wendell Pierce has joined Thibodauxville, an upcoming documentary that revisits one of the deadliest labor massacres in American history. Centered on the 1887 Thibodaux Massacre in Louisiana, the film confronts a brutal legacy of racial violence against Black sugarcane workers fighting for fair wages and dignity.

Through archival exploration and present-day reflection, Thibodauxville sheds light on a story often left out of mainstream history, connecting past injustices to the ongoing struggle for labor rights and racial equity in the South. With Pierce’s involvement helping amplify its reach, the documentary stands as a vital act of remembrance, truth-telling, and accountability—ensuring that these stories are not only uncovered, but deeply felt.

Where's Chris?

We’re excited to share that SDF’s Artistic Director, Chris Everett, will be joining an upcoming panel exploring what it takes to build a sustainable career as a BIPOC documentary filmmaker in the American South. This dynamic conversation brings together filmmakers working across the region to speak candidly about their journeys, offering insight into funding, relationship building, marketing, and distribution, all rooted in real world experience.

Grounded in the cultural landscape of the South, the panel will also highlight the power of community, how meaningful partnerships, local audiences, and regional storytelling can shape both creative and professional paths. Chris brings a deep commitment to supporting Southern makers and amplifying underrepresented voices, making this an especially powerful space for learning, connection, and reflection.

Whether you are just beginning your filmmaking journey or continuing to grow your practice, this conversation offers practical tools, honest perspectives, and inspiration for navigating the field with purpose and resilience.

Location | Hanesbrands Theatre - 209 N Spruce St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Time | 4:00 PM

The 2026 Southern Documentary Convening passes are now on sale! This year, the Southern Documentary Convening will be held on June 5 - 7, 2026 in Durham, NC.

Get ready for another weekend of community, networking and celebrating Southern stories and filmmakers.

For more information about this year's convening please visit the Southern Documentary Fund Convening page. See last year's program by looking through the 2025 Southern Documentary Convening Programming Flipbook! 

The 2026 Tribeca Festival will take place from June 3-14, 2026 in New York City. Next June, Tribeca will continue to explore creative innovation across film, TV, games, audio storytelling, talks, and more.

Late Deadline: 04/08/2026

BEYOND: The Cary Film Festival is an annual short film and screenplay festival that takes place in the heart of the Triangle, Cary, North Carolina. Each fall, engaged audiences, local, new, and established filmmakers, industry professionals, and special guests from around the country come together to celebrate the art and craft of short filmmaking, participate in panel discussions and workshops, and experience a live reading of our winning screenplay.

Late Deadline: 05/15/2026

AFF is proud to be one of the select festivals recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an Oscar® qualifying event. Our long-standing relationship with the Academy is woven throughout the organization. Academy members serve as competition judges and jurors, co-host events for AFF alumni in Los Angeles, support AFF’s diversity initiatives through grant funding, and even provide programmatic guidance as AFF board members.

Regular Deadline: 05/20/2026

Late Deadline: 06/19/2026

The 8th annual Lumbee Film Festival takes place July 6, 2026 in Pembroke, NC. The festival showcases bold, original new films made by American Indians, with special interest in those from Southeastern American Indian communities and especially members of the Lumbee Tribe of NC but any active member of a tribe is encouraged to apply.

Late Deadline: 04/21/2026

Applications are open for Firelight Media’s Documentary Lab! Designed for filmmakers of color working on their first or second feature documentary, this 12-month fellowship provides professional development, customized mentorship, and a $25K project grant. In 2026, the Documentary Lab will only accept projects in post-production. Apply by May 4.

Filmmakers across the U.S. and Canada creating stories that center multidimensional or unexpected Asian and Pacific Islander characters are invited to crowdfund their projects from March 30–April 29, 2026 for a chance to receive mentorship from Gold House and Seed&Spark, membership in the Gold House Futures Network, an opportunity to pitch the Gold House Entertainment Fund, $12,500 in funding provided in part by Madison Wells (founded by Gigi Pritzker), and a spot at the Gold Pitch Event during the Toronto International Film Festival.

For a long time, documentaries were considered the “spinach” of the movie world, according to filmmaker Morgan Neville. They were the hardy option that bettered you, but didn’t go down quite as easy as, say, Mission Impossible. Around 10 years ago, that changed. 

As the rise of streamers sparked demand for massive libraries of content, documentaries proliferated as a cost-effective option: no multimillion-dollar actors or advanced CGI required. (For reference, the highest grossing film of all time, Avatar, cost $237 million to make; the highest grossing documentary, Michael Jackson: This Is It, cost $60 million.) Meanwhile, viral stories of true crime and truly odd individuals—Tiger King, anyone?—made the genre feel less like homework and more like entertainment. 

But as documentarians began commanding larger budgets and loftier expectations, an important part of the ecosystem felt a squeeze: the mid-budget feature. Across the film industry, the sector has been wiped off the docket by increasingly bottom line-conscious studios. That shift is particularly dire for the documentary category, where the tier once accounted for the majority of projects. 

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