The 33rd Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival taking place October 18-26, 2024, in Arkansas will kick off with Marah Strauch and Bryce Leavitt’s Space Cowboy that takes a thrilling look at the life of legendary skydiver and cinematographer Joe Jennings. Marah Strauch, and Bryce Leavitt’s Space Cowboy Directors Marah Strauch and Bryce Leavitt, along with the film’s main protagonist Joe Jennings, will be present for the Opening Night Gala.
Doug Pray’s Louder Than Guns makes its world premiere as Centerpiece Selection. The film follows Ketch Secor, founding member of the bluegrass band Old Crow Medicine Show, and radio journalist David Greene as they seek to bring people together to have an open conversation about gun violence in America following a 2023 mass school shooting in Secor’s home community of Nashville. Director Doug Pray, producer Ashley York, and the film’s main participants, Ketch Secor, and radio journalist David Greene, will attend the screening.
Dawn Porter’s Luther: Never Too Much will close HSDFF with her film about the legendary Grammy-winning superstar with a one-of-kind voice, Luther Vandross. Porter will attend the screening.
Special presentations include the world premiere of Yoruba Richen and Brad Lichtenstein’s American Coup: Wilmington 1898; a 10th Anniversary Retrospective Screening of Reel South Shorts; Ivan MacDonald, Ivy MacDonald, and Daniel Glick’s Bring Them Home, which launches the festival’s new Native/Indigenous Film Section; Sam Green In Process, in which acclaimed documentary filmmaker Sam Green, known for his innovative “live” documentaries, presents material from his latest project, Trees; a special 30 for 30 15th Anniversary Panel celebrating the 15th Anniversary of ESPN’s groundbreaking 30 for 30 documentary series; and HSDFF’s new salute to the art of the mockumentary and docudramas featuring Charles B. Pierce’s classic 1972 horror docudrama The Legend of Boggy Creek.
Steve James (director of Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters, Life Itself, and Abacus: Small Enough to Jail) will be on hand to participate in an on-stage conversation and clips reel, and to receive this year’s Brent Renaud Career Achievement Award.
The HSDFF Impact Award will be presented to Maisie Crow and Abbie Perrault, along with a screening of their film Zurawski v Texas. The film reveals the aftermath of Roe v. Wade’s reversal by presenting the stories of women who faced life-threatening crises due to Texas’ harsh abortion laws.
Other key events include a work in progress presentation by filmmaker Nathan Willis and Arkansas PBS featuring excerpts from a new film directed by Willis. The film documents the commissioning of new statues for the U.S. Capitol commemorating Arkansas heroes Johnny Cash and Daisy Bates. Also, timed with current events, is Politics on Film Day, which spotlights four documentaries about presidential elections and their repercussions.
Making its world premiere at HSDFF, Yoruba Richen and Brad Lichtenstein’s extraordinary American Coup: Wilmington 1898 illuminates one of the most shocking incidents of white supremacy in American history in which an organized mob of white men in Wilmington, North Carolina terrorized the city’s black community and overthrew the city’s elected government causing reverberations for generations to come. Filmmakers Richen and Lichtenstein will attend along with two of the film’s main participants.
The 2024 Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival official selections:
GALA SELECTIONS AND SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Opening Night Gala Selection
Space Cowboy
Directors: Marah Strauch, Bryce Leavitt
Country: USA Running Time: 98 min
In this exhilarating and emotional documentary, legendary skydiver and cinematographer Joe Jennings reflects on his life creating art in the air. With dazzling stunts and intimate interviews, Space Cowboy takes audiences on the journey of a lifetime.
Centerpiece Gala Selection
Louder Than Guns WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Doug Pray
Country: USA Running Time: 90 min
A 2023 mass shooting at a Nashville school took the lives of six children and adults, devastating the community. In response, Nashville parent Ketch Secor, founding member of the bluegrass band Old Crow Medicine Show, partnered with radio journalist David Greene to bring people together to have an open conversation about gun violence in America. Through music and conversation, a new path forward emerged.
Closing Night Gala Selection
Luther: Never Too Much
Director: Dawn Porter
Country: USA Running Time: 101 min
Luther Vandross left an indelible mark on the music world with his unforgettable voice and his prolific skills as a songwriter. Venture behind the scenes as Vandross rises from backing vocalist to Grammy-winning superstar.
Special Presentations
Bring Them Home
Directors: Ivan MacDonald, Ivy MacDonald, Daniel Glick
Country: USA Running Time: 85 min
The Blackfeet Nation prepares to reintroduce bison to their ancestral lands for the first time in a century, embarking on a healing journey that restores balance between people, land, and animals.
Crisis: Behind A Presidential Commitment
Executive Producer: Robert Drew
Country: USA Running Time: 53
Released in 1963, Crisis, which helped launch the cinema verité movement in documentary, focuses on President Kennedy’s tactical response, unfolding in real time, to Alabama Gov. George Wallace’s opposition in the summer of ’63 to the court-ordered integration of the University of Alabama, his so-called “stand in the schoolhouse door”. Presented with the Clinton Presidential Center.
The Legend of Boggy Creek
Director: Charles B. Pierce
Country: USA Running Time: 87 min
“Here in this primitive river bottom wilderness in southern Arkansas… lurks a creature that walks upright…” In celebration of our new ongoing series, “It’s All Real: A Salute to Mockumentaries, Docudramas and Other Not Quite Documentaries”, join us for a special retrospective screening of Arkansas indie filmmaker Charles B. Pierce’s classic 1972 horror docudrama The Legend of Boggy Creek. A massive success at the time, the movie still retains its haunting grip on our collective imagination: “Is the Fouke monster real? Is it still out there?”
ADDITIONAL FEATURE SELECTIONS
A King Like Me
Director: Matthew Henderson
Country: USA Running Time: 85 min
A King Like Me is a vibrant exploration of the Zulu Krewe, a cornerstone of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras tradition. Through intimate portraits and colorful pageantry, the documentary traces the roots of this historic Black organization and celebrates a resilient community.
Agent of Happiness
Directors: Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurbó
Country: Bhutan Running Time: 93 min
In Bhutan, the Gross National Happiness Index is used to measure the contentment of the population. Agents like Amber traverse the country, evaluating different aspects of life to gauge joy.
American Coup: Wilmington 1898 WORLD PREMIERE
Directors: Yoruba Richen, Brad Lichtenstein
Country: USA Running Time: 116 min
American Coup: Wilmington 1898 illuminates one of the most shocking incidents of white supremacy in US history. In 1898, an organized mob of white men in Wilmington, NC terrorized the city’s black community, and overthrew the city’s elected government, impacting generations to come.
American Delivery
Director: Carolyn Jones
Country: USA Running Time: 83 min
In the United States, maternal mortality rates are the highest among wealthy nations. Through personal stories of birth and parenting, American Delivery examines this crisis and the urgent efforts to improve healthcare.
Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story
Directors: Michael Mabbott, Lucah Rosenberg-Lee
Country: USA Running Time: 98 min
Trans soul singer Jackie Shane found success as a recording and performing artist in the 1960s, but she disappeared from the public eye in the following decade. This electrifying documentary presents a vivid portrait of an artist ahead of her time.
Apocalypse in the Tropics
Director: Petra Costa
Country: Brazil Running Time: 110 min
Petra Costa revisits the volatile, complex terrain of Brazilian presidential politics in this riveting follow up to her 2019 Academy Award-nominated masterpiece The Edge of Democracy.
The Battle for Laikipia
Directors: Daphne Matziaraki, Pete Murimi
Country: Kenya Running Time: 94 min
In Laikipia, Kenya, unresolved historical injustices and climate change intensify a long-standing conflict between Indigenous pastoralists and white landowners, escalating tensions over land and resources.
Blink
Directors: Edmund Stenson, Daniel Roher
Country: Canada Running Time:84 min
When three of the four Pelletier children are diagnosed with a degenerative eye disorder, the family embarks on a global adventure, celebrating the world’s beauty before the kids’ vision fades forever.
The Bones
Director: Jeremy Xido
Countries: Canada/Germany Running Time: 98 min
Part true crime caper, part Jurassic Park. At the crossroads of capitalism and colonialism, this enthralling documentary delves into the high-stakes market for dinosaur fossils.
Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid
Director: Matt Tyrnauer
Country: USA Running Time: 98 min
Political consultant James Carville was heralded as a strategic genius for masterminding Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign, but it was his portrayal in the classic documentary “The War Game” that made him a legend. Acclaimed filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer breaks down the Carville legend and reveals how the “Ragin’ Cajun’s” ability to size up the 2024 campaign and the state of American politics shows that his instincts (and his elbows) are as sharp as ever.
Champions of the Golden Valley
Director: Ben Sturgulewski
Country: Afghanistan Running Time: 81 min
Champions of the Golden Valley follows one athlete’s mission to introduce skiing to Afghanistan. With minimal equipment but boundless determination, he trains local youth and organizes an annual race that inspires the community.
Dahomey
Director: Mati Diop
Countries: France/Senegal/Benin Running Time: 68 min
When France invaded the Kingdom of Dahomey, royal treasures were looted and brought to Europe. Nearly 130 years later, these items are returned to the Republic of Benin. Witness the complex and historic journey in this poetic documentary.
The Death Tour
Director: Stephan Peterson
Country: Canada Running Time: 89 min
A group of wrestlers embark on Canada’s most grueling professional wrestling tour, revealing along the way the harsh realities of life on the road and the personal sacrifices made in pursuit of a dream.
Driver
Director: Nesa Azimi
Country: USA Running Time: 92 min
When Desiree Wood begins a new life as a long-haul truck driver, she becomes an advocate for fair conditions in a male-dominated field. Working with a coalition of women drivers, Desiree confronts significant industry challenges with humor and determination
Every Little Thing
Director: Sally Aitken
Country: USA Running Time: 93 min
Terry Masear operates a hummingbird hotline and rescue in Los Angeles. She treats the birds with care and respect, getting to know each of their unique personalities as she aids in their recovery and eventual release.
Happy Campers
Director: Amy Nicholson
Country: USA Running Time: 80 min
Happy Campers is a joyful profile of a vibrant Virginian beachside community savoring their last summer together before their beloved trailer park is closed for redevelopment. Amidst the impending change, the residents celebrate life’s simple pleasures with the remaining time they have together.
Homecoming
Directors: Suvi West, Anssi Kömi
Countries: Finland/Norway Running Time: 77 min
Homecoming follows a Sámi filmmaker’s journey to reclaim stolen cultural artifacts, celebrating the return of her people’s heritage as they prepare to open the first museum on indigenous Sámi land.
The Last Republican
Director: Steve Pink
Country: USA Running Time: 88 min
Representative Adam Kinzinger was a rising star in the Republican party, until his conscience got the better of him. Kinzinger’s moral stands, especially those following the events of January 6th, and the political price he paid for them, are poignantly captured in this alternately reflective and amusing, of-the-moment documentary by an unexpected source: Hollywood filmmaker Steve Pink (Hot Tub Time Machine).
Made In Ethiopia
Directors: Max Duncan, Xinyan Yu
Countries: USA/Denmark/Canada Running Time: 91 min
Following a Chinese factory director, a factory worker, and a local farmer, this fascinating documentary explores the impact of a Chinese industrial park on a community in Ethiopia.
Martha
Director: R.J. Cutler
Country: USA Running Time: 115 min
She’s an international icon, but how well do we know the “real” Martha Stewart? Acclaimed filmmaker RJ Cutler provides an incisive, intimate portrait of the groundbreaking woman who virtually refined the American home, but who couldn’t always fix everything in her own life.
Mistress Dispeller
Director: Elizabeth Lo
Country: China Running Time: 94 min
A Chinese couple’s marriage is rocked by infidelity, but the true intrigue begins when the distraught wife calls in a most unusual third party, a so-called “mistress dispeller” — known for her ability to keep married couples together.
No Other Land
Directors: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Countries: Palestine/Norway Running Time: 96 min
No Other Land follows Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham as they navigate the harsh realities of the West Bank’s occupation, offering a powerful exploration of friendship, injustice, and hope amidst conflict.
On The Way Home
Director: Giorgi Kvelidze
Country: Georgia Running Time: 62 min
Driven from their homes by war and continued threats of violence, refugees from the country of Georgia find housing and community in the abandoned resorts and wellness facilities in Tskaltubo.
Porcelain War
Directors: Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev
Countries: Australia/USA/Ukraine Running Time: 87 min
Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya, and Andrey must defend their country and their way of life after the Russian invasion in 2022. Creating art becomes a necessary form of resistance as occupying forces work to destroy culture and identity.
The Pryce of Love
Director: Russell Schaap
Country: USA Running Time: 79 min
The name “Pryce Robertson” might not mean much to you — at least not yet — but in Camden, Arkansas, chances are that most townspeople have encountered Pryce at one time or another and are the better for it. As someone born on the autism spectrum, Pryce had many challenges to overcome growing up. But through the love, commitment and faith of his family and friends, as well as his own extraordinary determination, Pryce has shown just what is possible when you refuse to accept the limitations that others may have put on you. Executive Produced by Quinn Grovey. Prepare to be inspired.
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin
Director: Benjamin Ree
Country: Norway Running Time: 104 min
For Mats Steen, playing World of Warcraft became an important tool for self-expression and building community. After his death at only 25-years-old, his parents discover the impact of their son’s online persona.
Rising up at night
Director: Nelson Makengo
Country: DR Congo Running Time: 96 min
Delays on a major hydroelectric power plant have left the citizens of Kinshasa without consistent access to electricity. As the sun sets, residents must navigate the challenges and uncertainties that come with the darkness each night.
Rooted
Directors: Bridget Besaw, Par Parekh
Country: USA Running Time: 93 min
Germaine Jackson transforms a vacant city lot in a food desert into a thriving urban farm. But, as gentrification and outside pressures challenge her continued access to the lot, she must fight to keep the community’s source of fresh food in operation.
Secret Mall Apartment
Director: Jeremy Workman
Country: USA Running Time: 91 min
A mall goes up in downtown Providence and a group of displaced renegade artists decide to seek revenge — by building their own apartment inside the belly of the beast.
Shari & Lamb Chop
Director: Lisa D’Apolito
Country: USA Running Time: 92 min
Shari & Lamb Chop celebrates Shari Lewis, the beloved ventriloquist who captivated audiences for five decades. From late-night shows to her iconic children’s program, she continues to inspire today with her groundbreaking puppetry and legacy in entertainment.
Standing Above the Clouds
Director: Jalena Keane-Lee
Country: USA Running Time: 83 min
In Hawai’i, the sacred mountain Mauna Kea is marred by an array of telescopes on its summit. A determined group of Hawaiian activists rise up to protect their mountain from further desecration when a thirty-meter telescope is proposed.
True Believer
Director: Kristen Irving
Country: USA Running Time: 93 min
Director Kristen Irving embarks on a deeply personal investigation into her conservative religious upbringing, uncovering the complex history behind the rise of Christian Nationalism and its lasting impact on modern American politics.
The World According to Allee Willis
Director: Alexis Manya Spraic
Country: USA Running Time: 98 min
“I’ll Be There For You.” “September.” “The Color Purple.” You love her music, but do you know Allee Willis? Meet the brilliant songwriter behind the pop hits, Broadway tunes, and TV anthems that have shaped popular culture.
Zurawski v Texas
Directors: Maisie Crow, Abbie Perrault
Country: USA Running Time: 99 min
Zurawski v Texas reveals the aftermath of Roe v. Wade’s reversal by presenting the stories of women who faced life-threatening crises due to Texas’ harsh abortion laws. Their legal battles expose the perilous intersection between medical care and rigid legislation.
SERIES SELECTION
Dallas, 2019
Director: Darius Clark Monroe
Country: USA Running Time: 100 min
For residents of Dallas, Texas, personal hopes collide with the political realities of a changing community. This intimate episodic documentary examines how a city functions by showcasing the diverse voices of the people who live there.
SHORT FILM SELECTIONS
A Move
Director: Elahe Esmaili
Countries: United Kingdom/Iran Running Time: 27 min
A Swim Lesson
Directors: Rashida Jones, Will McCormack
Country: USA Running Time: 21 min
The Accidental Archivists
Director: Scott Calonico
Country: USA Running Time: 10 min
American Grail: A Quest for the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
Director: Andy Sarjahani
Country: USA Running Time: 16 min
Bad Hostage
Director: Mimi Wilcox
Country: USA Running Time: 39 min
Baigal Nuur – Lake Baikal
Director: Alisi Telengut
Countries: Canada/Germany Running Time: 9 min
Barbette + Fontaine
Directors: John-Carlos Estrada, Zak Zeh
Country: USA Running Time: 15 min
Dear Aloha
Director: Cris Romento
Country: USA Running Time: 16 min
Doom & Despair
Director: Jonathan Childs
Country: USA Running Time: 21 min
Dynasty and Destiny
Director: Travis Lee Ratcliff
Country: USA Running Time: 6 min
The Final Copy of Ilon Specht
Director: Ben Proudfoot
Country: USA Running Time: 17 min
Flat Town
Director: Bryan Tucker
Country: USA Running Time: 24 min
Florida Woman
Director Catie Skipp
Country: USA Running Time 22 min
For Those That Lived There
Director: Shawn Antoine II
Country: USA Running Time: 7 min
Good Enough Ancestor
Director: Cynthia Wade
Country: Taiwan, USA Running Time: 21 min
Hold the Line
Director: Daniel Lombroso
Country: USA Running Time: 17 min
I Am Ready, Warden
Director: Smriti Mundhra
Country: USA Running Time: 37 min
Jamie
Director: Darcy Hennessey
Country: USA Running Time: 19 min
Little Bit
Director: Raeden Greer
Country: USA Running Time: 6 min
Livestreams with GrandmaPuzzles
Director: Emily Sheskin
Country: USA Running Time: 6 min
Love in the Time of Migration
Directors: Erin Semine Kökdil, Chelsea Good Abbas
Countries: USA/Guatemala Running Time: 21 min
Lynn’s Fire
Director: Steve Zahn
Country: USA Running Time: 7 min
Ma ŋaye ka Masaala a se ka Wɔmɛti (From God To Man)
Director: Lansana Mansaray
Country: Sierra Leone Running Time: 15 min
Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World
Director: Julio Palacio
Country: USA Running Time: 23 min
Mama’s Sundry
Directors: Brody Kuhar, Joshua Cannon
Country: USA Running Time: 15 min
Missing At Sea
Director: Nicole Noren
Country: Greece, USA Running Time: 21 min
More Than Brothers
Director: Andrea von Siebenthal
Country: USA Running Time: 22 min
Mother(s) and Son
Director: Kiersten Houser
Country: USA Running Time: 12 min
Motorcycle Mary
Director: Haley Watson
Country: USA Running Time: 22 min
Nothing Special
Director: Efrat Berger
Countries: France/Israel Running Time: 15 min
Our Neighbors, The Peacocks
Director: Callie Barlow
Country: USA Running Time: 23 min
The People Could Fly
Director: Imani Nikyah Dennison
Country: USA Running Time: 21 min
Public Defender
Director: Andrea Kalin
Country: USA Running Time: 40 min
Quebrante
Director: Janaina Wagner
Country: Brazil Running Time: 23 min
The Quilters
Director: Jenifer McShane
Country: USA Running Time: 31 min
Sandcastles
Director: Carin Leong
Countries: USA/Singapore Running Time: 17 min
Sangre Violenta / Sangre Violeta
Directors: Edna Diaz, Arturo R. Jiménez
Countries: Mexico/USA Running Time: 15 min
Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This
Director: Andrew Nadkarni
Countries: USA/Oman Running Time: 25 min
Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr
Director: Kimberly Reed
Country: USA Running Time: 15 min
Shotplayer
Director: Samuel Shainberg
Country: USA Running Time: 22 min
The Smallest Power
Director: Andy Sarjahani
Country: USA Running Time: 7 min
Soul City
Director: Monica Berra
Country: USA Running Time: 24 min
Stud Country
Directors: Lina Abascal, Alexandra Kern
Country: USA Running Time: 11 min
Tahnaanooku’
Director: Justin Deegan
Country: USA Running Time: 7 min
There Was Nobody Here We knew
Director: Khaula Malik
Country: USA Running Time: 9 min
Tiny
Directors: Ritchie Hemphill, Ryan Haché
Country: Canada Running Time: 16 min
To Be Destroyed
Director: Arthur Bradford
Country: USA Running Time: 30 min
We Ride For Her
Directors: Katrina Lillian Sorrentino, Prairie Rose Seminole
Country: USA Running Time: 18 min
Wild Hogs and Saffron
Director: Andy Sarjahani
Country: USA Running Time: 19 min
Winding Path
Directors: Alexandra Lazarowich, Ross Kauffman
Country: USA Running Time: 10 min
Wouldn’t Make It Any Other Way
Director: Hao Zhou
Countries: USA/Guam Running Time: 21 min