7:00 PM – 9:00 PM 10 Years of Reel South: Retrospective Showcase of Documentary Shorts

Moderator:

• Nick Price, Series Producer, Reel South

Panelists:

• Monica Berra, Director, Soul City
• Khaula Malik, Director, There Was Nobody Here We Knew
• Kiersten Houser, Director, Mother(s) and Son
• Catie Skipp, Director, Florida Woman
• Bryan Tucker, Director, Flat Town

8:50 AM - 9:15 AM Keynote: Chris Hastings with an introduction by Kathryn Washington Public media executive Chris Hastings, the incoming President and CEO of WXXI in Rochester, New York, speaks about the dynamic, symbiotic relationship between independent filmmakers and the public media system. Introduction by Kathryn Washington, Senior Vice President, Television Content at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM Session 1: A Decade of Reel South: Building a Regional Ecosystem To amplify authentic, Southern stories and storytellers across the country, Reel South has spent the past 10 years building a unique and powerful collaboration with Southern PBS stations, regional film festivals, public media organizations, and talented filmmakers, each playing a critical role in the making of the series.

Moderator:

• Nick Price, Series Producer, Reel South

Panelists:

• Rachel Raney, Director of National Productions, PBS North Carolina
• Jason Viso, Director of Programming, Promotion & Digital Strategy, Louisiana Public Broadcasting
• Don Young, Center for Asian American Media, Director of Programs
• Rodrigo Dorfman, Filmmaker

10:30 AM – 11:15 AM Session 2: Funding the Way Forward
Whether you are just starting out as a documentary filmmaker or are deep into your career, there is much to be gained by hearing directly from industry professionals who evaluate grant proposals and make funding decisions. A diverse range of funders gives strategic advice on applying for grants and approaching funders.

Moderator:

• Jax Deluca, Director of Film/Media Arts at National Endowment for the Arts

Panelists:

• David Weinstein, Senior Program Officer in the National Endowment for Humanities Division of Public Programs
• Merrill Sterritt, Director - IF/Then Shorts - Field Of Vision
• Weenta Girmay, Regional Initiatives Coordinator, Firelight Media
• Sara Glassberg, Coordinator, Sundance Documentary Fund

12:15 PM - 1:15 PM Session 3: Powerful Partnerships: PBS Stations and Independent Producers How and why producers and filmmakers should work with their local PBS station: from content development and fundraising to distribution and audience engagement.

Moderator:

• Michael E. Tang, Director of PBS Plus (Public Broadcasting Service)

Panelists:

• Courtney Pledger, Executive Director & CEO, Arkansas PBS
• Melissa Harmon, Principal Director of Content, South Florida PBS
• Laura Kieler, Chief Content & Marketing Officer, PBS North Carolina
• Mason Mills, Executive Producer, VPM
• Alison Hashimoto, Senior Vice President of Studios, WABE TV

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Session 4: Taking Multi-platform Initiatives to the Next Level
Multi-platform initiatives and digital content creation are rapidly gaining ground in the mediascape. But within the public media world, what exactly distinguishes multiplatform content from other, more traditional broadcast programming, how are filmmakers engaging in partnerships to support this work, and what are the various marketing and distribution efforts that are connecting digital content to audiences?

Moderator:

• Adam Dylewski, Senior Director, Multiplatform Programming & Development, PBS

Panelists:

• Nicole Eure, Coordinating Producer, PBS North Carolina
• Lisa Tawil, Vice President Marketing and Communications, ITVS
• Andrew Nadkarni, Director, Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This

2:45 PM - 3:30 PM Session 5: Your Turn to Pitch
In this highly participatory session, filmmakers will have the opportunity to pitch their projects and receive feedback from a panel of industry leaders.

Panelists:

• Merrill Sterritt, Director - IF/Then Shorts - Field Of Vision
• Haydee Souffrant, Manager of Filmmaker Programs, Kartemquin Films

3:45 PM - 5:00 PM One-on-One Meetings
Pre-assigned meetings between filmmakers and industry leaders.

8:50 AM – 9:15 AM Keynote by Natalie Bullock Brown, director of the Documentary Accountability Working Group

9:15 AM - 10:00 AM Session 6: In the Beginning: Three First-Time Short Documentary Directors Tell Their Stories
Typically, it is veteran filmmakers who are given the spotlight at conferences and convenings. But what about those who have just completed their first short doc? Three first-time shorts filmmakers describe the unique paths they forged in successfully completing their films and what comes next.

Moderator:

• Chris Everett, Program Manager, Southern Documentary Fund (SDF)

Panelists:

• Haley Watson, Director, Motorcycle Mary
• Mimi Wilcox, Director, Bad Hostage
• Cris Romento, Director Dear Aloha

10:15 AM – 11:15 AM Session 7: The Evolving Relationship Between AI and Documentary Storytelling
Relying on recent examples, this session sheds light on how AI tools — for better or worse — have the potential to transform the filmmaking process. What are the key ethical questions that filmmakers should be asking of themselves and the AI tools that are emerging before moving forward with this transformative technology?

Moderator:

• Talia Rosen, VP of Standards & Practices, PBS

Panelists:

• Stephanie Jenkins, Founding Member, Archival Producers Alliance (APA)
• Luis Ortiz, Managing Director, Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB)

11:45 AM - 12:25 PM Lunch conversation with Emily Best, Founder and CEO of Seed&Spark

12:30 PM - 1:00 PM Session 8: In Conversation with Sylvia Bugg and Courtney Pledger
A conversation with Sylvia Bugg, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming, PBS & Courtney Pledger, Executive Director & CEO, Arkansas PBS.

1:15 PM - 2:15 PM Session 9: The Relationship Between Filmmakers and Film Participants
In these frank conversations, filmmakers and film participants explore how they forged strong, trusting, and supportive relationships as an integral part of their recent documentary projects.

• Director Andy Sarjahani and his high school friend Bubba Samuels discuss their relationship working together on the ITVS short Wild Hogs and Saffron. Moderated by Filmmaker Colleen Thurston.
• Directors Brad Lichtenstein and Yoruba Richen discuss American Coup: Wilmington 1898 with the film’s participants, Lucy McCauley and Inez Eason. Cameo George, Executive Producer of American Experience and AMERICAN COUP: WILMINGTON 1898, joins a conversation moderated by Molly Murphy, Working Films Director of Partnerships and Innovation.

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Session 10: Work In Progress Showcase
Four filmmakers based in or with roots in the U.S. South/Mid-South region present their works-in-progress documentary projects and receive feedback from the audience. This program is co-presented by Indie Media Arts South (IMAS). Introduction and closing remarks by Tom Hansell and Ouida Washington of IMAS.

Moderator:

• Weenta Girmay, Regional Initiatives Coordinator, Firelight Media

Panelists:

• Emily Harrold, Director, SISTER SENATORS
• Jason Rhee, Director, EJ LEE: ALL AMERICAN
• Justin Robinson, Director, GERMAN SOUL
• Colleen Thurston, Director, DROWNED LAND

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Filmmaker / Industry Roundtable Meetings
Pre-assigned meetings between filmmakers and industry leaders in a roundtable format.

Emily Best, Founder and CEO of Seed&Spark
Natalie Bullock Brown, Director of the Documentary Accountability Working Group
Sylvia Bugg, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming, PBS
Sarah Childress, Director of Strategy & Operations, Nashville Public Television
Millie de Chirico, Director of Programming, WABE TV and Digital
Josh Clinard, Program Manager, PBS North Carolina
Bard Cole, Sr. Producer & Content Manager, WKNO-TV Memphis
Emily Compton, Executive Producer, WTCI PBS
Lisa Cordes, Producer, Alabama Public Television
Marquis Daisy, Television Producer, ESPN
Adam Dylewski, Senior Director, Multiplatform Programming & Development, PBS
Nicole Eure, Coordinating Producer, PBS North Carolina
Chris Everett, Program Manager, Southern Documentary Fund (SDF)
Cameo George, Executive Producer of American Experience and AMERICAN COUP: WILMINGTON 1898
Sara Glassberg, Coordinator, Sundance Documentary Fund
Weenta Girmay, Regional Initiatives Coordinator, Firelight Media
Tom Hansell, Filmmaker and IMAS organizing committee
Melissa Harmon, Principal Director of Content, South Florida PBS
Chris Hastings, incoming President and CEO of WXXI in Rochester, New York
Kris Higgins, CPB, Project Manager, TV Content
Chris Holmes, Vice President of Production, Alabama Public Television
Stephanie Jenkins, Founding Member, Archival Producers Alliance (APA)
Clint Jukkala, Executive Director, Southern Documentary Fund (SDF)
Laura Kieler, Chief Content & Marketing Officer, PBS North Carolina
Gentry Kirby, Senior Director Producer ESPN Films/30 for 30
Sajni Kumpuris, Director of Education, Arkansas PBS
Wendy Llinas, Sr. Director Programming & Development - PBS
Becky Magura, President & CEO, Nashville Public Television
Mason Mills, Executive Producer, VPM
Linda Midgett, Executive Producer, Louisiana Public Broadcasting
Molly Murphy, Working Films Director of Partnerships and Innovation
Heather Nunerley, Digital Marketing Producer, Reel South
Luis Ortiz, Managing Director, Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB)
Courtney Pledger, Courtney Pledger, Executive Director & CEO, Arkansas PBS
Nick Price, Series Producer, Reel South
Emily Prins, Digital Producer, Reel South
Rachel Raney, Director of National Productions, PBS North Carolina
Allison Reiff, Alabama Public Television
Talia Rosen, VP of Standards & Practices, PBS
Clarivel Ruiz, Project Manager, Indie Media Arts South (IMAS)
Haydee Souffrant, Manager of Filmmaker Programs, Kartemquin Films
Merrill Sterritt, Director - IF/Then Shorts - Field Of Vision
Lisa Tawil, Vice President Marketing and Communications, ITVS
Michael E. Tang, Director of PBS Plus (Public Broadcasting Service)
Jason Viso, Director of Programming, Promotion & Digital Strategy, Louisiana Public Broadcasting
Kathryn Washington, Senior Vice President, Television Content at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)
Ouida Washington, Indie Media Arts South (IMAS) and Producer, Director, Wk Media
David Weinstein, Senior Program Officer in the National Endowment for Humanities Division of Public Programs
Alphonso Witfield, Senior Producer/Writer, WABE
Don Young, Director of Programs, Center for Asian American Media (CAAM)
Bethany Wearden, Fiscal Sponsorship Manager, International Documentary Association