Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival To Launch Filmmaker Forum With Support From Corporation For Public Broadcasting

Matthew Carey
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival – the country’s longest running all-documentary festival – is preparing to launch an innovative new Filmmaker Forum.

The inaugural event, with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, will run from October 9-10 as part of the 32nd edition of the festival in Hot Springs, Ark. The festival itself spans October 6-14 in the historic resort town nestled in the Ouachita Mountains.

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The Filmmaker Forum “will serve as a major convening of documentary filmmakers and industry leaders from throughout the South/Mid-South and across the U.S.,” according to a release. “Through its dynamic programming and extensive networking opportunities, the Forum will establish stronger ties between filmmakers and public media. A partial list of public media organizations expected to participate includes ITVS, Arkansas PBS and Reel South.”

“At a time when the path to audiences has become more difficult,” the release added, “the Forum aims to increase access to information, resources, and a wide array of perspectives on the best path forward for documentary filmmakers.”

One of the main venues for the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
One of the main venues for the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival

Ken Jacobson, the festival’s incoming executive director, said in a statement, “Given the disruption caused by the pandemic, which led to several key events in the South shutting down, as well as the obvious current distribution challenges faced by all filmmakers, we feel the time is right to start a new initiative for filmmakers throughout the South and Mid-South to deepen connections between filmmakers here and industry everywhere. Partnering with public media puts our best foot forward toward supporting a burgeoning community of Southern filmmakers, shining a light on creative storytelling, and building new bridges with audiences.”

The Filmmaker Forum promises “dynamic programming on the business, art, and craft of documentary storytelling and take a wider-lens approach to the nonfiction ecosystem” and will feature keynotes, panels, workshops, one-on-one meetings with executives, “and other opportunities for filmmakers to connect and foster community.”

The Forum, intended for filmmakers at all stages of their careers, is open to directors, producers, editors, and cinematographers “who have a major credit on at least one completed film (short or feature).” The festival notes that registration is free for Arkansas-based filmmakers and HSDFF alumni, “with a nominal fee for others to attend.”

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