The Works-in-Progress (WiP) Lab supports social justice documentaries with a focus on Black storytelling. Co-designed and coordinated by Working Films, in partnership with Cucalorus, participating artists receive feedback on their work-in-progress and explore audience engagement strategies through workshops, consultations, and community screenings during a weeklong residency at Cucalorus’ campus. This year’s Lab takes place from April 22- April 29. Now in its sixteenth year, the Works-in-Progress lab was launched in 2008 through a partnership between Working Films and Cucalorus. We will be accepting applications through January 15th, 2025! Program and…
Working Films strives to make all of our events and programs accessible, including our application processes. To request an accessibility accommodation or adjustment, please email amyers@workingfilms.org, or call us at 910-342-9000. Across the US we are seeing stronger and more frequent climate-fueled disasters, exposure to environmental racism, and threats to our democracy. These challenges – all compounded by the breakdown of civil discourse and community relationships – make face to face dialogue critical for building resilience and civic engagement. We also know that changemakers in rural areas and small towns…
Didn’t get a chance to host a screening of one of our impactful film-driven organizing campaigns? Or know someone who might be interested? We’re excited to announce that our past campaigns—Shore Stories, Coal Ash Stories, Stories Beyond Borders, and Revisioning Recovery—are now available for community screenings! Each of these films sheds light on crucial social and environmental issues, inspiring viewers to learn, reflect, and take action. Now, you can bring these stories to your community and foster meaningful dialogue with our newly created DIY Screening Guide. What’s Included in our…
Race Forward and Working Films are thrilled to announce the 2024 Race Flicks film track of Facing Race: A National Conference, being held in person in St. Louis, Missouri, November 20-22. Race Flicks is a micro-film track during the conference that lifts up critical issues and stories of community organizing for racial justice. This year’s program maintains a focus on accountable and care-centered filmmaking that respects and reflects the people and places featured, and holds great potential to build power among those represented in the stories at hand. The selected…
Launched in 2023, Beyond Walls is an organizing initiative featuring documentary films that define and amplify what prison industrial complex (PIC) abolition means, while inspiring people to imagine and take action toward a world without policing. This year, Beyond Walls continues to resonate across communities and a recent screening at Dartmouth College stands out as a pivotal moment. Held on May 8th in Hanover, New Hampshire, the event not only showcased powerful narratives for Prison Industrial Complex Abolition, but also sparked profound reflections and conversations among attendees. Dr. Bench Ansfield,…
For a documentary film to make a difference, a solid strategy for audience engagement and strong partnerships are key. Filmmakers often lack time to do this work themselves or the expertise and the funds to pay for it. Emerging filmmakers, creators of color, and underrepresented artists can face the biggest hurdles, despite the potential of their projects. Working Films’ response to this challenge is Impact Kickstart, a program offering in-kind partnership and strategy development to underrepresented filmmakers with feature-length films that hold great promise to catalyze action to address important…
In a landscape of cascading societal crises, a swift response to pressing issues is essential. This is where film screenings become invaluable – not only do they inform but they also inspire action in the face of emerging social and environmental threats. Whether it’s the passing of a dangerous bill, or a new pipeline, when there’s an immediate need to educate and mobilize communities, film events can be one of the best tools to achieve this, leveraging the power of storytelling to raise awareness and prompt meaningful engagement. These events…
In a world facing urgent environmental threats, the need for action is clear. Amidst these pressing challenges, we need organizations that embody resilience and determination, actively addressing environmental injustices within their communities. Working Films is proud to present the Rural Cinema 2024 cohort, comprised of organizations doing just that: Alabama Rivers Alliance and Coosa Riverkeeper (Alabama), Local Environmental Action Demanded (Oklahoma), NC Disaster Resilience and Response Network (North Carolina), Peace Garden Project (North Carolina), SOWEGA Rising (Georgia), and West Virginia Rivers Coalition (West Virginia). Rural Cinema is a training institute…
Now in its sixth year, Working Films’ Impact Kickstart program has resourced underrepresented filmmakers to pursue strategic plans for impact and engage audiences, partners, and supporters in meaningful ways. This year, we will be providing in-kind partnership and strategy development, expert 1:1 mentorship, and $60,000 of impact campaign funding to each awardee. In reflection on the growth and evolution of Impact Kickstart, Gerry Leonard, Director of Filmmaker Services, says, “Each year, we have been able to reflect on and refine Impact Kickstart – from the initial call for applications to…
Artist: Eryon Shondiin Greenburg | Instagram: @shondiin.art Working Films strives to make all of our events and programs accessible, including our application processes. To request an accessibility accommodation or adjustment, please email amyers@workingfilms.org, or call us at 910-342-9000. Across the United States environmental disasters and climate change are impacting all areas of life. While landmark climate victories have taken place at the national level, changemakers in rural areas and small towns are consistently under-resourced and must exercise everything in their toolbox to achieve wins locally. Film screenings are a powerful…
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