Southern Documentary Project

Southern Documentary Project SouthDocs is an institute of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi. We teach the next generation of storytellers.

MA-Documentary Track
MFA-Documentary Expression

“Within the Frame” aims to highlight the documentary photography work created by SouthDocs students, faculty, and staff....
06/02/2026

“Within the Frame” aims to highlight the documentary photography work created by SouthDocs students, faculty, and staff.

In Vol. 2, we focus on S ST 534 Documentary Photography, taught this spring by Assistant Professor of Practice in Doc Expression Shiraz Ahmed. “This group of budding photographers turned their lenses on the places and people that made them feel at home again in such strange times. While "among ourselves' is a phrase often used to indicate that a discussion is meant to remain confidential and secret to a particular group, these photographers have chosen to reveal the inner lives, joys and truths of these communities to the greater public of Barnard Observatory. Entrusting us with these peeks into the worlds that make up the university and Oxford, this work showcases how the overlapping, intersecting and vibrant scenes that make up this region can only ever be held still for a fraction of a second, enough time for the light to enter and the picture revealed.”

Visit https://southdocs.org/spring-2026-documentary-showcase/ to learn more about Hicks’ work and others from our Documentary Showcase.

🎉 Congratulations to Samson Oklobia for successfully defending his MA Thesis, “Should I Go or Stay?: Food, Place, and th...
06/01/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Samson Oklobia for successfully defending his MA Thesis, “Should I Go or Stay?: Food, Place, and the Emotional Geography of Brain Drain in the American South.” Samson is pictured here with his committee: (left to right) Dr. Katie McKee, Dr. Andy Harper (Chair), and Dr. Ellie Palazzolo. Samson will also be joining our MFA in Documentary Expression program in the fall to continue his work!!!

“Within the Frame” aims to highlight the documentary photography work created by SouthDocs students, faculty, and staff....
05/26/2026

“Within the Frame” aims to highlight the documentary photography work created by SouthDocs students, faculty, and staff.

In Vol. 2, we focus on S ST 534 Documentary Photography, taught this spring by Assistant Professor of Practice in Doc Expression Shiraz Ahmed. “This group of budding photographers turned their lenses on the places and people that made them feel at home again in such strange times. While "among ourselves' is a phrase often used to indicate that a discussion is meant to remain confidential and secret to a particular group, these photographers have chosen to reveal the inner lives, joys and truths of these communities to the greater public of Barnard Observatory. Entrusting us with these peeks into the worlds that make up the university and Oxford, this work showcases how the overlapping, intersecting and vibrant scenes that make up this region can only ever be held still for a fraction of a second, enough time for the light to enter and the picture revealed.”

Learn more about Falkner’s work and others from our Documentary Showcase at https://southdocs.org/showcase/

Check out Voices With Impact’s new Substack, “Transatlantic Trans Joy: It's not the places, it's their stories,” featuri...
05/13/2026

Check out Voices With Impact’s new Substack, “Transatlantic Trans Joy: It's not the places, it's their stories,” featuring Cody!! Read the full piece at voiceswithimpact.substack.com.

Cody Stickels is a filmmaker who crafts heartfelt, character-driven stories that celebrate comfort, humor, and resilience. He is a 2025-2026 Chicken & Egg (Egg)celerator Lab cohort member and was selected for the 2024 Film Independent Documentary Story Lab.

His last film won the audience award for Best Documentary at New York City’s NewFest Film Festival and screened internationally at BFI Flare, Inside Out, and . Stickels is an MFA candidate with SouthDocs at the University of Mississippi.

Congrats, Cody!! 🎉 Cody received the Lucille and Motee Daniels Award for the best graduate student paper for his film “U...
05/11/2026

Congrats, Cody!! 🎉 Cody received the Lucille and Motee Daniels Award for the best graduate student paper for his film “Under the Ink,” completed for Professor Shiraz Ahmed’s SST 633 class.

Congrats, Ashish!! 🎉 Ashish was awarded the Sarah Dixon Pegues Award for a strong paper in the study of music for his pr...
05/11/2026

Congrats, Ashish!! 🎉 Ashish was awarded the Sarah Dixon Pegues Award for a strong paper in the study of music for his project “Griot of the South: John Mohead” completed for Professor John Rash’s SST 633 class.

Congrats, Sela! 🎉 Sela received the Outstanding MFA Award for the best MFA thesis for “Open for Victims, Sorry We’re Dea...
05/11/2026

Congrats, Sela! 🎉 Sela received the Outstanding MFA Award for the best MFA thesis for “Open for Victims, Sorry We’re Dead” completed under the direction of Professor Shiraz Ahmed.

Y'all did it!!!!! ❤️🥲🎉✨️🎓          📸 : .erin.whittington, Melanie Ho, &
05/08/2026

Y'all did it!!!!! ❤️🥲🎉✨️🎓



📸 : .erin.whittington, Melanie Ho, &

BIG thank you to everyone for coming out to support our students at the Mississippi Creates event!! Mississippi Creates ...
05/07/2026

BIG thank you to everyone for coming out to support our students at the Mississippi Creates event!!

Mississippi Creates is a collaborative project between the Southern Documentary Project, Center for the Study of Southern Culture, Department of Theatre and Film at the University of Mississippi, and the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council.

Learn more about MS Creates at southdocs.org.

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Oxford, MS

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