Durham, N.C. – Oct. 17, 2022 – Southern Documentary Fund (SDF) has selected five projects to receive a total of $50,000 in production grants. Recipients include a diverse group of filmmakers across the South, with awards going to first-time and emerging makers currently in-production. The 2022 SDF Production Grant cycle is made possible thanks to generous support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Southern Documentary Fund Executive Director Kristy Garcia Breneman said, “2022 marks a 20-year milestone for the Southern Documentary Fund in service of Southern storytellers. The submissions we received this year reflect the richness and diversity of stories that could only be found and inspired by the South.”
SDF received a record increase in the number of submissions from first-time and emerging filmmakers. This year’s grantees tell a wide range of stories with themes encompassing immigration, climate change, family histories, identity politics, and issues buried deep within the American South.
“We’re excited about this year’s recipients of the 2022 SDF Production Grant. These stories represent the spirit, the diversity, and the essence of the South that touch on a wide variety of topics and subjects. We’re proud to be a part of each film’s journey as these projects move forward through production,” says Southern Documentary Fund Program Manager Christopher Everett.
SDF PRODUCTION GRANTEES – (5) $10,000 GRANTS
EJ LEE: ALL-AMERICAN | Jason Rhee – Louisiana
Before Jeremy Lin and Yao Ming, there was Eun Jung Lee. EJ Lee, a Louisiana legend nicknamed the “Korean Magic Johnson of NCAA women’s basketball,” has been overlooked her entire career. But finally, at the age of 60, EJ receives her first opportunity to become a college head coach and lead an underdog team in West Texas.
IRANIAN HILLBILLY | Andy Sarjahani – Arkansas
Raised in a working-class community outside the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, the son of a Muslim Iranian immigrant father and Southern Baptist mother reflects on his childhood—finding contradiction, conflict, and a grounding sense of community in the traditions that shaped him.
SOUTHMONT DRIVE | Ashley O’Shay – Alabama
A docu-series reflecting on the life and legacy of a Black family from Tuskegee, Alabama, strongly influenced by Ashley O’Shay’s late grandfather, Melvin Lewis Sr.
THE FIRST PLANTATION | Jason Fitzroy Jeffers – Florida
A deeply personal and spiritual investigation into the vast legacy of Barbados, one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Caribbean and the historical birthplace of the plantation-based economy, which helped pave the way for white supremacy and systemic racism across the American south.
THE RIVER | Caitlyn Greene – Louisiana
A character-driven documentary feature in Louisiana about the Mississippi River and the control of nature.
2022 Final Jury
Sherard Duvall: Documentary Filmmaker
Alexis Galfas: Film Acquisitions
Bo McGuire: Documentary Filmmaker
2022 First-Round Reviewers: Sabrina Davis, Samantha Rae Lopez, Babacar Ndiaye, Lauren Rector, and Kate Rogers.
