Celebrate the mighty spirit of Lena Mae Perry and her church gospel noisy crew with a special hometown premiere of this award-winning, soul-lifting documentary film experience. Perry is the steadfast bandleader of The Branchettes, a legendary North Carolina gospel group that has packed churches throughout the South and as far away as Ireland over the […]

Applications are open for our 2022 Production Grant! SDF will be awarding $10,000 each to five filmmakers directing their lenses at powerful Southern stories. We encourage filmmakers at all levels to apply for this funding opportunity. The 2022 Production Grant wouldn't be possible without the generous support of the MacArthur Foundation.We will be hosting two […]

Join SDF for the 2022 Production Grant Information Session, which will introduce the grant eligibility guidelines and provide a general overview of the newly revised Doc Core application. The Documentary Core Application is a collaborative effort by grantors who regularly fund documentary projects to standardize application requirements, with the aim of fostering greater access and […]

From concept to completion, four-time Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker Isabel Castro gives us an overview of the process used in her latest film MIJA, a documentary that dives into the world of a young woman hustling harder than anyone else, because for her and her family, “making it” isn't just a dream—it's a necessity. This interactive […]

Join SDF for our 2022 Production Grant Information Session #2, which will introduce the grant eligibility guidelines and provide a general overview of the newly revised Doc Core application. The Documentary Core Application is a collaborative effort by grantors who regularly fund documentary projects to standardize application requirements, with the aim of fostering greater access […]

Southern Documentary Fund is pleased to present a free work-in-progress screening of IN THE BUBBLE WITH JAIME, by Emily Harrold as part of our Fresh Docs program.In South Carolina, African American Jaime Harrison takes on Republican incumbent Lindsey Graham to run for U.S. Senate. But what happens when the COVID epidemic sets in? In a […]

Every budget tells a story. A well-written one is both a road map for your production and a reflection of the creative vision of your film. This discussion delves into how to write your first budget, general budgeting principles, as well as methods and software. The interactive roundtable will include brief case studies and opportunities […]

Are you in need of funding for your documentary and wondering where to find money to make and/or finish your film? Documentary filmmaker Sabrina Schmidt Gordon will dive into the many ways that you can fund your project. This interactive mentorship roundtable will include brief case studies and opportunities to ask questions.*Please note that live […]

Brenda Hampton was born first of ten to a family in rural Alabama. Her mother taught her to think critically and always fight for justice, so she left for Boston to become an investigator. When her mother fell ill, she returned to Alabama to donate her left kidney. Eventually Brenda’s remaining kidney began to fail […]

Join us for a discussion exploring the many ways that documentary storytelling can create social change. A panel of documentary professionals come together to discuss how they’ve carried their messages beyond the screen to create engagement from audiences and respond to social issues and injustices. Subjects that will be discussed include impact and outreach strategy, […]

Your pitch deck is one of the most important tools in your initial stage of obtaining financing. In this mentorship roundtable session, documentary filmmaker Isabel Castro will show examples of her own personal pitch decks and discuss the importance of these decks in pitching, raising funds, and selling your film. *Please note that live captioning […]

Audio Under the Stars is a unique, immersive, and shared experience that brings diverse individuals together for an evening of documentary storytelling in a charming, garden-party atmosphere. Stories both reflect the lives of the audience and take them to places they could never imagine. The richness of the stories creates captivating, magical moments: listeners often […]