2026 Southern Documentary Convening

My Turn to Call 'Action!'

After years working behind the scenes as a producer, what does it take to step into the director’s chair—especially as a Southern documentary filmmaker rooted in place, history, and community? This keynote explores the transition from supporting someone else’s vision to claiming your own voice, shaped by the cultural landscapes and lived experiences of the South. Passion may spark the journey, but it’s clarity of purpose and determination that carry it forward. For those called to create, lead, and tell stories grounded in truth, memory, and regional identity, this conversation speaks directly to you.

For generations, Indigenous stories were told from the outside—shaped by voices that didn’t live them, and too often reduced to stereotypes. But that tide is turning. Today, Native filmmakers are reclaiming the lens, using documentary film to challenge old narratives and tell stories with truth and care. This shift is about more than representation—it’s about ownership, from development to screen to distribution.

In this panel, our storytellers reflect on their journeys and the importance of creating from within, so that when the world sees Indian Country, it sees it through Indigenous eyes.

Feeling overwhelmed by the fundraising process? Not sure how best to get your film funded? This workshop will cover the basics of fundraising for documentary projects in an ever-changing landscape, including the types and impacts of different kinds of financial investments, setting up your legal and financial entity, how money is tied to distribution, and the development of funding materials. Participants will leave with an understanding of the doc industry landscape, and the tools to build a fundraising plan that matches their filmmaking goals.

Short-form documentaries are reshaping the nonfiction landscape—finding audiences across film festivals, public broadcasting, streaming platforms, and social media. This dynamic panel explores the evolving distribution ecosystem for short docs, from funding opportunities and strategic partnerships to vertical storytelling and platform-specific releases. Industry experts will share insights on reaching audiences, navigating festivals, leveraging digital platforms, and building sustainable pathways for short-form work in a rapidly changing media environment.

How can documentary filmmakers and curators turn a screening into a powerful live experience? This panel explores creative ways filmmakers and curators are designing immersive events—combining film, conversation, performance, and community engagement—to deepen audience connection with their stories. Panelists will also discuss strategies for funding these experiences, from grants and partnerships to ticketed events that can help generate support and raise funds for your documentary project.

Connect directly with the people shaping the documentary landscape at the Industry Roundtables. In small-groups documentary makers have the opportunity to connect with leading partners within the filmmaking field. There will be chances to ask questions, share your work, and build meaningful connections that can move your project forward.

To be presented annually at the Southern Documentary Convening, the Southern Documentary Fund Southern Lens Award honors documentary makers and supporters for their significant achievements and dedication to amplifying stories from the American South.

This award celebrates those who create, promote, and champion authentic Southern narratives—recognizing the important role they play in shaping a more inclusive, complex, and truthful understanding of the region. Whether through filmmaking, advocacy, mentorship, or community engagement, recipients of the Southern Lens Award are dedicated to uplifting the voices of Southern storytellers and ensuring their work reaches broader audiences.

This year, SDF is proud to honor Darcy McKinnon with the Southern Lens Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to documentary storytelling and her continued commitment to supporting filmmakers and meaningful nonfiction work. Through her dedication to collaboration, mentorship, and impactful storytelling, Darcy has helped foster a stronger and more connected documentary community—uplifting stories that inspire dialogue, understanding, and change across the South and beyond.

Join us at the Durham Arts Council for an evening of celebration, conversation, and community as part of the 2026 Southern Documentary Convening. The Convening Reception will bring together filmmakers, industry leaders, artists, and supporters from across the South for a special gathering centered on the power of documentary storytelling. The evening will feature a post-screening conversation with filmmakers and special guests, offering audiences an opportunity to engage more deeply with the stories, creative process, and themes explored on screen, followed by the presentation of the Southern Lens Award to Darcy McKinnon in recognition of her outstanding contributions to documentary filmmaking and her continued dedication to supporting bold, authentic storytelling from the American South. Guests are invited to celebrate, connect, and continue the conversation alongside fellow attendees in a welcoming and vibrant community space in the heart of downtown Durham.

Traditionally, documentary filmmakers have engaged organizers and activists for the impact campaigns they plan once a film about social justice is released. In this panel, the case will be made for collaboration with organizers and activists early on in the production process, including the benefits, challenges, and the potential for a transformative production experience that enriches the final product.

At a moment when truth-telling is increasingly contested, this timely conversation explores the evolving balance between safety and free expression in documentary filmmaking. Bringing together filmmakers, advocates, and industry leaders, this panel will examine how the field can actively protect freedom of expression by providing direct support to filmmakers at risk due to the political, social, or cultural impact of their work. Panelists will also highlight the importance of sustained advocacy efforts to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of the documentary community at large. In addition, the discussion will address the shifting media landscape—specifically, how recent mergers among major studios and media conglomerates may affect documentary filmmakers’ access to critical news archives and source materials. As gatekeeping structures evolve, what does this mean for storytelling, accountability, and historical record?