Southern Documentary Fund

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Southern Documentary Fund

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

08/31/2026

Join Southern Documentary Fund for the next Inside the South, our virtual conversation series that takes audiences behind the scenes of Southern documentary filmmaking.

On September 24 at 12:00 PM ET, we'll be joined by filmmaker Ricky Kelly, director of Humble in the Jungle. Ricky will discuss the making of the film, his creative process, and the story of Mike "Mike Gee" Smalls, whose journey from hip hop artist to plumber reveals the unexpected paths that shape our lives and communities.

Whether you're a filmmaker, documentary enthusiast, or simply love powerful Southern storytelling, this free conversation offers an inside look at bringing authentic stories to the screen.

📅 September 24, 2026
🕛 12:00 PM ET
💻 Free | Virtual

Register today and join the conversation: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/8GSD2WVDTcuEu0_P3fCPcg

08/29/2026

Before the game could change, someone had to challenge it. 🏀

CB: Power to the Player, from Javier Wallace and Funmi Ogunro, shares the story of Claudius “C.B.” Claiborne, Duke University’s first Black basketball player, and a journey marked by resistance, resilience, and the fight for change.

See CB: Power to the Player at Southern Doc Fest on October 10 in Durham, NC.

🎟️ Get your festival pass:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/southern-doc-fest-tickets-1993870967738?aff=Social

08/27/2026

🎬 See ALWAYS LOOKING: TITUS BROOKS HEAGINS at Southern Doc Fest

Directed by Olympia Stone, Always Looking follows acclaimed photographer Titus Brooks Heagins and his commitment to documenting people and communities too often pushed to the margins.

Join us October 10 in Durham, NC to experience Always Looking and a full day celebrating Southern documentary storytelling.

🎟️ Passes are on sale now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/southern-doc-fest-tickets-1993870967738?aff=Social

08/26/2026

🏀 Breaking barriers on the court and beyond.

CB: POWER TO THE PLAYER, directed by J. Javier Wallace and Funmi Ogunro, tells the story of C.B. Claiborne, Duke University’s first Black basketball player, and his journey as a student activist, leader, and force for change.

Catch CB: POWER TO THE PLAYER as part of the Shorts Block presented by REEL SOUTH at Southern Doc Fest on October 10 in Durham, NC.

Join us for a day celebrating powerful documentary storytelling from across the South.

🎟️ Get your festival pass: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/southern-doc-fest-tickets-1993870967738?aff=Social

08/25/2026

We’re going LIVE tomorrow, and there’s still time to register for FREE!

If you’ve ever felt exhausted, overwhelmed, or wondered how to build a sustainable career in documentary filmmaking, **Burnout, Exhaustion & Staying in the Industry** is a conversation you’ll want to be part of.

Join **Malikkah Rollins, MSW**, Director of Industry and Education at DOC NYC, for a candid discussion about burnout, boundaries, workload, and practical strategies for staying in the industry while protecting your wellbeing.

📅 Tomorrow, August 26
⏰ 12 PM ET
💻 FREE virtual webinar
🎥 Closed captioning available

**Save your spot today. Registration is FREE:**
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mWpJIQ71TeeWjdL6VukYwQ

Presented in partnership with DocuMentality and DOC NYC.

08/22/2026

Meet the people working to protect the places they call home.

In *Once Upon a Wetland*, filmmaker Elizabeth Miller-Derstine explores the connection between community, conservation, and the wetlands that shape our environment.

Watch this clip for a glimpse into the story and stay connected with Southern Documentary Fund for more from Southern filmmakers and their projects.

08/21/2026

What happens when environmental conservation, LGBTQIA activism, and some truly outrageous critter cosplay come together? You get the Beaver Queen Pageant! 🦫👑

Join us at the inaugural Southern Doc Fest for *Once Upon a Wetland*, directed by Elizabeth Miller-Derstine and featured in our Reel South Shorts Block.

Set right here in Durham, the film follows the community behind the annual Beaver Queen Pageant as they prepare for a celebration that's campy, colorful, and rooted in activism.

See it on the big screen October 10, 2026, in Durham, NC!

🎟️ Get your tickets and join us for a full day celebrating Southern stories and Southern filmmakers.

Buy your passes here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/southern-doc-fest-tickets-1993870967738?aff=Social

08/20/2026

From a small Japanese restaurant in Durham to a story of family, identity, and finding the courage to be unapologetically authentic.

Becoming Yamazushi, directed by hip hop artist G Yamazawa, joins the inaugural Southern Doc Fest as part of our Reel South Shorts Block.

The film looks back at Yamazushi, opened in Durham in 1986 and later transformed by George and Mayumi Yamazawa into an experience unlike anything else in the American South. Through this deeply personal documentary, G Yamazawa shares his family's story and the roots that helped shape the artist he would become.

Experience this Durham story with us on October 10, 2026.

📍 Durham, NC
🎟️ Get your Southern Doc Fest tickets today!

Get your passes here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1993870967738?aff=oddtdtcreator

Address

Durham, NC
27701

Telephone

+19193083714

Website

http://southerndocumentaryfund.org/

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