We had a blast combing through the HSDFF archives to come up with the lineup of doc shorts for our America250 finale. For different reasons, each one of these films holds a special place for us.
Dale Capenter’s poignant Arkansas-based Little League epic A Long Season does a masterful
job of not only evoking America’s pastime and the endless days of summer, but also a tender
relationship between father and son.
Eric Frith and Sherman Alexie’s witty 49? takes us to the streets of Seattle for a vox pop
perspective on a Native American art form that few can identify by name or source, but which
resonates deeply with so many.
The spare Solo, Piano gives us a fly on the wall perspective on a piano left alone on a New York
sidewalk, begging the thoroughly cinematic question, “What happens next?”
A skate park in Any Town, USA is given a pink makeover in Gnarly in Pink, this delightful story of three girl skateboarders who shred bowls and stereotypes in equal measure.
10 years before his 2026 Oscar-winning short All the Empty Rooms, Joshua Seftel brought us Zain’s Summer, the poignant story of Zain and his family, who fled Pakistan to make a new life here in America.
Quilted Education is Kayla Robinson’s lovely story about her mom Karen’s creative response to
the lack of Black history being taught in Texas schools by literally taking matters into her own
hands.
In their toe-tapping and intimate Stud Country, Lina Abascal & Alexandra Kern invite us into the largest queer country western line dancing event in America and tell a tale both specific and universal.
Last but not least, Courtney Dixon’s inspiring and sobering The Changebaker introduces us to the commitment, struggles and huge heart of Manolo Betancur, who uses his bakery in North Carolina for good — for his workers and for people everywhere who are in need — and to nourish our still evolving American soul.
Happy 250th, America!
The Lineup:
A LONG SEASON (25 min) – 1996 HSDFF
Director: Dale Carpenter
49? (5 min) – 2004 HSDFF
Directors: Eric Frith & Sherman Alexie
SOLO, PIANO (5 min) – 2012 HSDFF
Director: Anthony Sherin
GNARLY IN PINK (8 min) – 2014 HSDFF
Directors: Kristelle Laroche & Benjamin Mullinkosson
ZAIN’S SUMMER (13 min) – 2016 HSDFF
Director: Joshua Seftel
QUILTED EDUCATION (10 min) – 2023 HSDFF
Director: Kayla Robinson
STUD COUNTRY (11 min) – 2024 HSDFF
Directors: Lina Abascal & Alexandra Kern
THE CHANGEBAKER (16 min) – 2025 HSDFF
Director: Courtney Dixon