Southern Documentary Fund

Southern Documentary Fund Southern Documentary Fund is a nonprofit cultivating documentary media made in or about the American

The South has stories to tell.We're creating a new way to experience them.Coming soon.
06/22/2026

The South has stories to tell.

We're creating a new way to experience them.

Coming soon.

06/19/2026

Today, we celebrate Juneteenth—a day that commemorates freedom, resilience, and the enduring pursuit of justice.

Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas finally learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

As storytellers, we know that history is not just something we inherit—it is something we preserve, share, and learn from. Stories help us remember where we've been, understand where we are, and imagine where we're going.

Happy Juneteenth from Southern Documentary Fund.

What happens when a community built through resilience, joy, and determination begins to disappear?Seabreeze: A Legacy e...
06/19/2026

What happens when a community built through resilience, joy, and determination begins to disappear?

Seabreeze: A Legacy explores the history of Seabreeze, North Carolina, a once-thriving Black-owned and operated beach community that provided a place of belonging during segregation and remained a cultural cornerstone for generations.

Through personal stories, historical photographs, and reflections on land ownership, memory, and loss, this documentary honors a community whose impact continues to be felt today.

At Southern Documentary Fund, we are proud to support projects that preserve Southern history and amplify stories that deserve to be remembered.

Learn more about Seabreeze: A Legacy here: https://southerndocumentaryfund.networkforgood.com/projects/295401-seabreeze-a-legacy

Congratulations to the team behind The Last Partera on its upcoming L.A. Premiere at Lumiere Cinema! We are thrilled to ...
06/11/2026

Congratulations to the team behind The Last Partera on its upcoming L.A. Premiere at Lumiere Cinema! We are thrilled to see this moving documentary continue its festival journey and connect with audiences through its powerful story of care, tradition, and intergenerational legacy.

The film will screen June 30 and July 1 at 7:30 p.m., followed by an in-person Q&A with filmmakers Victoria Bouloubasis and Ned Phillips.

More information: https://lumierecinemala.com/films/the-last-partera/

🎬 Save the date!The Southern Documentary Fund Production Grant opens for applications on July 13, 2026.Designed to suppo...
06/10/2026

🎬 Save the date!

The Southern Documentary Fund Production Grant opens for applications on July 13, 2026.

Designed to support documentary filmmakers telling powerful stories in and about the American South, this grant helps makers move their projects forward and bring important stories to the screen.

Mark your calendars and start preparing your application. We can't wait to see what Southern storytellers are creating next.

Keep an eye out for our grant info sessions: https://southerndocumentaryfund.org/programs/filmmaking-grants-2/

How do we make films in a world that feels like it is constantly shifting?Join Southern Documentary Fund and Duke Center...
06/09/2026

How do we make films in a world that feels like it is constantly shifting?

Join Southern Documentary Fund and Duke Center for Documentary Studies on June 24 for a FREE powerful Mentorship Webinar with Resita Cox. This conversation explores how filmmakers can move beyond traditional industry practices and step into storytelling that prioritizes connection, impact, and transformation.

This is more than a webinar. It is an invitation to rethink your creative process and your role as a storyteller.

Register here for FREE: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kwX0eNOVSt2y1MAg5P4Tbw

Closed captioning available.

In partnership with Duke Center for Documentary Studies.

Don't miss out on your chance to join Resita Cox for your Summer online course that starting on July 14!

How to Make Movies at the End of the World: Spiritual Guidance for Creative Artists
(6-week online course starting July 14)

As global challenges intensify, independent filmmakers and storytellers must move away from a profit-driven model toward impact-focused filmmaking. This approach prioritizes community and collective wellbeing over traditional metrics like distribution, festivals, and financial gain.

This online course is designed to explore the meaning of filmmaking within our current political environment. It will equip participants with the tools to transform any creative practice into an embodied, somatic experience focused on the greater good rather than self-gain. The emphasis is not on the specific projects artists will be creating, but rather on grounding them in stillness. This process aims to shape participants into a more somatic storyteller, a practice that will inherently enhance their film projects.

Learn more about this course here: https://documentarystudies.duke.edu/continuing-education/ce-courses

We are proud to recognize our Presenting Sponsors, National Endowment for the Arts through the Freedom 250 initiative an...
06/08/2026

We are proud to recognize our Presenting Sponsors, National Endowment for the Arts through the Freedom 250 initiative and MacArthur Foundation.

Their support helps Southern Documentary Fund provide resources, professional development, and opportunities for documentary filmmakers across the American South. Investments like these strengthen the documentary ecosystem and ensure that important regional stories continue to be told.

Thank you for helping us champion bold Southern voices and the future of nonfiction storytelling.

We are proud to recognize our Director Sponsors: Durham Arts Council, Southern Documentary Fund Board, Pinnacle Financia...
06/08/2026

We are proud to recognize our Director Sponsors: Durham Arts Council, Southern Documentary Fund Board, Pinnacle Financial Partners, and Brooks Pierce.

Their support plays an important role in sustaining programs, events, and opportunities that empower documentary filmmakers across the South. Through their partnership, Southern Documentary Fund continues to foster connection, professional development, and impactful storytelling.

We are deeply grateful for their commitment to strengthening the creative and cultural landscape of our region.

The documentary community thrives because of collaboration, partnership, and shared investment in storytellers.We are ho...
06/08/2026

The documentary community thrives because of collaboration, partnership, and shared investment in storytellers.

We are honored to recognize our Community Sponsors, whose support helps create opportunities for filmmakers to connect with industry leaders, build meaningful relationships, develop new projects, and bring important stories to audiences.

From leading film festivals and media organizations to universities, public media partners, and community-centered institutions, these organizations play a vital role in strengthening the documentary ecosystem.

Thank you to all of our Community Sponsors for helping advance Southern storytelling and supporting the next generation of documentary filmmakers.

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Durham, NC
27701

Telephone

+19193083714

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