Everyone leaves behind a legacy. Here are a few to inspire you.
ERUCTATION Directed by Victoria Trow 6:49 • USA • Southern US Premiere WOMEN IN FILM The world record for loudest female burp is 107.3 decibels. Kaylee wants to beat it.
Houdini II: A Beautiful Day to Die Directed by Daniel John 17:12 • United Kingdom, United States • Alabama Premiere BLACK LENS Reframing the Houdini myth, an African American magician and escape artist claims the name of Harry Houdini and builds a legacy of his own.
Hwy 101 Yard Sale Directed by Andrew Johnston, Jackson Townsend 9:39 • United States ALABAMA Every first weekend in October, along a quiet stretch of highway from Northwest Alabama to Tennessee, one woman exercises Southern hospitality through mouth-wateringly delicious pies as she participates in a 40-mile long open-air market.
Fred’s Basement Bijou Directed by Michael T Vollmann 14:22 • United States • Southern US Premiere In 1956, Fred Hermes rescued a colossal 1920s Wurlitzer organ from Detroit's Michigan Theatre. He then spent the next five decades transforming his basement into a fully functioning movie palace.
BUCKSKIN Directed by Mars Verrone 17:10 • United States • Southern US Premiere BLACK LENS, WOMEN IN FILM A portrait of the filmmaker's grandfather, Carroll B. Williams, the first African-American to receive a doctorate in forestry and entomology, the first African-American scientist to be hired by the U.S. Forest Service, and among the first African-Americans to be a part of the environmental science and forestry faculties at both Yale and UC Berkeley.
Submitting Tigers Directed by Luke Kellerhouse 25:41 • Germany, Ireland, United States • Southern US Premiere WOMEN IN FILM After surviving horrific childhood trauma and rising as a professional MMA fighter, Julija Pajic finds unexpected healing, connection, and purpose among the street fighters and orphanages of Tanzania.
Documentaries about those who have worked and fought to gain, preserve, and practice their rights and freedom.
Sea Song Directed by An-Phuong Ly 17:58 • USA • Alabama Premiere LIFE & LIBERTY, WOMEN IN FILM Finding solace in the shared experience of their youth, the last remaining South Vietnamese naval officers trained by the US during the Vietnam War reconnect with the few people in the world who understand the complexities that shaped them.
Honor Song Directed by Ryan Begay 19:35 • USA LIFE & LIBERTY Celebrating the long history and service of Native Americans in the United States military, veterans of the Southwest share personal stories and perspectives of their military service and their cultural experience.
60 Years of Selma Directed by Jori Parson 16:04 • USA • Alabama Premiere LIFE & LIBERTY, ALABAMA, BLACK LENS, WOMEN IN FILM Sixty years after the 1965 Voting Rights Act was signed into law, civil rights activists and historians gather to reflect on the movement in Selma, Alabama, that led to revolutionary change.
The Other Roe Directed by Wendy Eley Jackson 14:47 • USA • Southern US Premiere LIFE & LIBERTY, BLACK LENS, WOMEN IN FILM Learn the untold story of attorney Margie Pitts Hames whose Supreme Court victory in Doe v. Bolton - the companion case to Roe v. Wade - reshaped reproductive rights in America.
Projecting Protest Directed by Thomas Clement 22:07 • USA • Southern US Premiere LIFE & LIBERTY Over the past decade, activists across the political spectrum have been deploying a new protest tactic: guerrilla light projection. Projection devices have become cheap, powerful, and can be smaller than a toaster. They are also, for the most part, wildly unregulated by American law.
That Night Directed by Hoda Sobhani 11:00 • USA LIFE & LIBERTY, WOMEN IN FILM In October 2022, Evin Prison in Iran burned. Inside was women's rights activist Neda Naji. This is her story of that night of chaos, fear, and violence.
Correspondence Directed by Paul K. Oh 5:40 • USA • Alabama Premiere LIFE & LIBERTY A filmmaker conducts a mediated interview with the man convicted of murdering his grandmother and tries to reconcile the person sitting across from him with the act that shattered his family.
Investigator Directed by Jennifer Grausman 16:40 • USA • Southern US Premiere WOMEN IN FILM Amidst the foggy evergreen forests of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula, private investigator Leigh Hearon explores the criminal underbelly of a small town and investigates a case of attempted matricide while also examining her own motivations and place in the criminal justice system.
Sites of Memory Directed by Antonio Tarrell, Castel V Sweet, Michael Fagans 24:20 • USA • Alabama Premiere BLACK LENS, LIFE & LIBERTY, WOMEN IN FILM, ALABAMA As U.S. history becomes controversial to teach in some states, one group of people comes to terms with our past and present in Sumner, Mississippi and Montgomery, Alabama.
Free Joan Little Directed by Yoruba Richen 24:20 • USA • Alabama Premiere BLACK LENS, LIFE & LIBERTY, WOMEN IN FILM In 1975, Joan Little became the first woman in US history to be acquitted of using deadly force to resist sexual assault. As a Black incarcerated woman in North Carolina who killed her white prison guard who was trying to rape her, Little's murder trial sparked a nationwide discussion on sexual assault.
Reminders of the planet we all share and the things that affect it.
Discarded Directed by Jason O'Brien 4:17 • United States • World Premiere ALABAMA An unsettling glimpse at what we cast aside, this quasi-experimental documentary reminds us that every discarded item had a life or moment abruptly left behind, never explained, and never reclaimed.
Constellations of the Sea Directed by Addie Akina Knoll 12:59 • United States • Southern US Premiere TEEN, WOMEN IN FILM A 17-year-old filmmaker joins a Maldives research team to document the growing challenge of protecting endangered whale sharks at the center of a global tourism industry.
Where the River Flows Directed by Emily Rabbideau 5:38 • United States • World Premiere ALABAMA, STUDENT, WOMEN IN FILM For nearly 30 years, Hana Berres has walked alongside the Cahaba River, teaching, protecting, and fighting for one of Alabama’s most biodiverse waterways.
UNDERMINED Directed by Lily Huffman 15:26 • United States ALABAMA, WOMEN IN FILM A small Alabama town known as Belle Mina fights back against quarry blasting right next door that threaten their air, water, and overall quality of life.
Willie and His Pigs Directed by Emily Cooper 14:02 • United States • Alabama Premiere WOMEN IN FILM Every nine months, rural Kentucky regenerative farmer Willie Houston brings home a group of piglets. He raises, names, and cares for them. Then, he says goodbye to them. Willie & His Pigs explores the emotional weight of ethically raising animals in this subtle portrait of grief, joy, and bacon.
Invasive Florida Directed by Stephen DeVries 9:38 • United States • World Premiere BLACK LENS Follow wildlife educator and social media star Christian Cave into the wild ecosystems of South Florida to explore the growing threat of invasive species on one of America's most unique natural environments.
A DERAILMENT Directed by Nathan Truesdell 25:00 • United States • Southern US Premiere At 8:55pm on February 3, 2023, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Told entirely through found footage and news archive, "A DERAILMENT" puts you in the center of disaster.
Films to remind us that the ordinary can become extraordinary and long-remembered unexpectedly.
Monograph: Ajene Williams Directed By Matthew Grcic 05:22 • United States ALABAMA, BLACK LENS Ajene Williams is a resident artist at Sloss Metal Arts (Sloss Furnaces) in Birmingham, Alabama. He sculpts and welds cold scrap metal into warm, life-like sculptures.
Oh Whale Directed By Winslow Crane-Murdoch 25:42 • United States • Alabama Premiere When Paul Linnman arrived in Florence, Oregon, on November 12th, 1970, he had no idea that a seemingly innocuous news story about a dead whale would forever define his career.
From Rodeo to Polo: The First HBCU Polo Team Directed By Kendi King 18:38 • United States BLACK LENS, STUDENT, WOMEN IN FLIM The first Black collegiate polo team at Morehouse College chases national USPA certification as it transforms a rag-tag team of charismatic cowboys into pioneering polo stars.
Roots & Relics Directed By Matthew Josiah Avant 22:30 • United States • Southern US Premiere EPISODIC Roots & Relics is a documentary series hosted by JD Hart that uncovers extraordinary stories behind everyday heirlooms. In this episode, uncover the mystery behind a man whose last words are recorded in a roughly hewn stone.
A New Inferno Directed By Nita Blum, Jonathan Pickett 16:00 • United States • Alabama Premiere Filmed during the hottest days of Phoenix, Arizona's summer heatwave, "A New Inferno" follows paramedics as they race to save the lives of heatstroke victims using a radical new treatment: ice immersion therapy.
Learn something new about Alabama the Beautiful in these docs by Alabamians.
The Mayor of Rasslin' Directed By Layla Khan-Hickman 05:32 • United States ALABAMA, STUDENT, WOMEN IN FILM In a small Alabama town, "The Mayor of Rasslin'" follows the life of a beloved mayor and pro-wrestler who fights for his community -- both in the ring and out of it.
Are You Listening? Poetry in the Magic City Directed By Juliana Eberhardt, Sophie Estrada, Amelia Velaski 11:33 • United States STUDENT, WOMEN IN FILM Poets Ashley M. Jones and Halley Cotton spark a poetry renaissance in Birmingham, Alabama. Now, poets of all ages and levels of experience are writing, reciting, and inspiring with their artful use of language.
HYPERSCALED Directed By Maya Estrera 19:28 • United States ENVIRONMENTAL, STUDENT, WOMEN IN FILM Focused on Alabama's "Project Marvel," this documentary unearths the real world cost of AI as residents fight to get answers about the costly impacts of proposed datacenters.
Final Press Directed By John Haley 10:45 • United States • Alabama Premiere Workers at The Minnesota Star Tribune complete the last run of the newspaper's Heritage printing plant bringing an end to 150 years of printing the paper in Minnesota.
Monograph: David Brower Directed By Christopher E. Holmes 06:50 • United States Artist David Brower reflects on his career from photographer to award-winning filmmaker and the transition from commercial work to multi-disciplinary art that feeds the soul.
Memory Work Directed By Jada Brielle Ceaser 03:21 • United States BLACK LENS, STUDENT, WOMEN IN FILM VHS collector Justin Cottingham doesn't just preserve media; he keeps memories alive through his one-of-a-kind hobby.
Ādi Directed By Sukanya Subramaniyan 11:06 • India • U.S. Premiere WOMEN IN FILM "Ādi" (Sanskrit for "beginning" or "origin) captures the origin of the cross-cultural musical group Vishnu, Davis, & Haleigh as they discover new friendships and new sounds together.
The Chukker: Nation of Misfits Directed By Nate Billings, Charlotte Gale 08:35 • United States STUDENT, WOMEN IN FILM The Chukker: Nation of Misfits is a short documentary that tells the story of the famed Tuscaloosa establishment, The Chukker, from its conception in 1956 to the building's condemnation in 2007.
Wall of Sound Directed By Anissa Latham-Brown 11:02 • United States BLACK LENS, WOMEN IN FILM Watch the electrifying and intense journey of the nationally recognized Purple Marching Machine from Miles College—an HBCU in Fairfield, Alabama—as the band prepares for the 2025-2026 season.
Documentaries about the wide world brought home to you.
What’s My Name? Directed by Yuge Zhou 8:09 • China, United States • World Premiere WOMEN IN FILM Do you keep your name or change your name when immigrating to another country? In this playful exploration of pronunciation, cross-cultural identity, and the nuances of language, learn the real importance of a name and its declaration of ethnicity.
Within Me Directed by Sherlyn Reyes Zamora 15:21 • United States • Alabama Premiere WOMEN IN FILM, ALABAMA, LIFE & LIBERTY, STUDENT "Within Me" explores the adversity and resilience of a Mexican immigrant family in Alabama as each member reflects on how far they've come.
Freedom of the Press Directed by Pablo Quintero 5:00 • United States STUDENT A college professor turns to the printing press to process the weight of political turmoil as he creates prints that invite others to slow down, reflect, and reconnect in an overstimulated digital age.
Rolling Film, Rocking History: Al Maysles Captures the Beatles Directed by Bart Weiss 10:56 • United States Al Maysles tells the story of how he shot the Beatles coming to the USA for the first time.
The Day Is Not Lost Directed by Kay Hannahan 14:50 • Bulgaria • Southern US Premiere INTERNATIONAL As the call to prayer echoes throughout a village in Bulgaria's Rhodope mountains, a cold January day becomes a meditation on tradition and transformation high in this quiet observational documentary.
The Theory of Spice Directed by Gilly Barnes 7:28 • United States • Southern US Premiere WOMEN IN FILM Where does flavor come from? Journey across India, Sri Lanka, and Guatemala to examine the provenance, potency, history, and mythology of Ginger, Cinnamon, and Cardamom in this artistic documentary.
Zastava Brothers Directed by Pep Stojanovic 21:55 • United States • Alabama Premiere While the Yugo may have faded in popularity in the US, it has become a rallying passion for those from the former Yugoslavia where the little-car-that-could remains an integral part of memories and culture.
A variety of documentaries that delve into the diverse lives of the LGBTQ+ communities.
Drag me to Church Directed by Isabella Sullivan 12:34 • United States • Alabama Premiere DOCUMENTARY, SHOUT Worlds collide when a gay pastor in Atlanta, Georgia, bridges the gap between two divided communities by throwing a fabulous drag church service.
Rainbow Rider Directed by Georgia Krause 25: 41 • United States • Southern U.S. Premiere DOCUMENTARY, SHOUT Rainbow Rider follows Shelle Lichti, an outspoken lesbian truck driver hauling freight across the country in her eponymous and iconic rainbow semi-truck.
There’s a Small Hotel Directed by Michael Grodner 18:53 • United States • Southern U.S. Premiere DOCUMENTARY, SHOUT A short documentary about the Brevoort, an old Hollywood apartment building with a notorious past, that has been managed for the last 18 years by former Warhol superstar Joe Dallesandro.
Love Birds Directed by Elliott Kennerson and Angel Morris 27:40 • United States • Alabama Premiere DOCUMENTARY, SHOUT In 1972, when married biologists George Hunt and Molly Warner discover that a great number of nesting seagull pairs on one of California's Channel Islands are all female, their research on “lesbian seagulls” triggers outrage and jubilation in a nation grappling with a growing LGBTQ+ rights movement while also threatening to tear apart their own relationship.
Documentaries that remind us all voices deserve to be heard.
From Fields to Flight Directed By Ipshita Bhattacharyya 11:10 • India INTERNATIONAL, LIFE & LIBERTY, WOMEN IN FILM In a world ruled by patriarchy, one woman from India's hinterlands finds the courage to challenge gender norms to achieve her dream of becoming a drone pilot.
Faithful Defenders Directed By Barbara Jean Hall 17:15 • United States WOMEN IN FILM In a challenging and inspirational approach, "Faithful Defenders" suggests that Christianity and reproductive rights can co-exist.
White Nine Directed By Nilou Safinya 29:15 • United States • Southern US Premiere WOMEN IN FILM Meet Joe, Christos, and Charlie, three teenagers whose lives were forever changed by devastating spinal cord injuries in the 1960s. Bound by survival, friendship, and a shared refusal to be marginalized, they became leaders in Massachusetts’ independent living movement and helped fight for the civil rights of people with disabilities.
Oceanbone Directed By Lani Cupchoy 09:16 • United States • Alabama Premiere WOMEN IN FILM Stolen ancestors lie in museum vaults, waiting to return home. "Oceanbone" is a poetic reckoning with history, confronting the colonial theft of Indigenous remains and the urgent fight to bring them back.
HER BABY DIDN'T BLOCK HER JUMP SHOT Directed By Emily M Lobsenz 25:00 • United States • World Premiere WOMEN IN FILM In 1969, high school freshman Jane led her basketball team to a state tournament. In 1970, she scored over 40 points a game. In 1971, when she gives birth, state rules make her ineligible to play. In 1972, with the backing of her coach and friends, she continued to play and began a landmark challenge to a rule that allowed boys involved in a pregnancy to continue playing while refusing the same privilege to girls.
