Carrboro Film Fest and UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media are proud to present The River Runs On, a meditative documentary that explores our relationship with nature and what managing land means for the future of our planet and ourselves.
In the South we know the best stories are sometimes the most unbelievable, which is why this block of nine narrative shorts comprises some of our wackiest, wildest tales.
This invigorating collection of seven documentary shorts showcases the efforts and accomplishments of Southerners who are using their voice to speak up, shout out, and sing their own praise.
With this block of six short films, we investigate the mysterious, the grotesque, and the uncanny to give you a view of the South which is both otherworldly and familiar, transformative and grounding.
This contemplative block of five short films is about honoring the kinds of work, bravery, and sacrifice that often go overlooked and unseen.
This bold collection of eight short films is dedicated to celebrating characters who unapologetically march to the beat of their own drum — and we can’t help but follow.
In this collection of seven short films we join Southerners who know how to meet all life’s challenges with grit, hope, and a good sense of humor.
This collection of eight short films seeks to honor the journey to authentic selfhood, in all its messiness, through the stories of diverse characters as they negotiate and renegotiate what defines them.
Carrboro Film Fest and UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media are proud to present A Thousand Pines, an intimate documentary about a hidden world of guest workers regrowing America’s forests.
Yonder and Carrboro Film Fest have teamed up again to bring #NewSouthernFilm to downtown Hillsborough! In this stimulating collection of films, we look closely at the human body and explore myriad ways the body can express the self and communicate with other selves. Our headlining film, “The Yurt,” stars Hillsborough native Zach Strum, whose character is recovering from a bad breakup when he meets a tantric guru and discovers an unexpected path to healing. Both Strum and the film’s director, Zachary Coker, will be in attendance for a Q&A after the screening. Admission is free, so join us Wednesday, August 30, 7 PM, for a rousing night of film!
Carrboro Film Fest is proud to present The Smell of Money, a compelling documentary that brings to life a social justice issue especially poignant for North Carolinians: the true cost of the world’s cheap pork. A century after her grandfather claimed his freedom from slavery, Elsie Herring and her rural North Carolina community fight the world's largest pork corporation for their freedom to enjoy fresh air, clean water, and a life without the stench of manure. We invite you to join us for the screening and a special Q&A with producer and North Carolina native Jamie Berger after the screening.
Masking and either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
Carrboro Film Fest is proud to present a fascinating block of narrative shorts along with a presentation and discussion with acclaimed photographers Alex Harris and Margaret Sartor about their new book, Our Strange New Land: Narrative Movie Sets in the American South. Blurring the lines between documentary and fiction, Harris and Sartor have created an immersive book, using still imagery to evoke their own cinematic-like narrative. Harris’s photographs, made on more than 40 film sets from across the South, reveal a new generation of Southern filmmakers coming to terms with matters of race, class, and sexuality. Together, Harris’s photographs and the accompanying films ask us to consider how much our setting shapes our behavior, and, more importantly, what power we have to resist our prescribed plotlines if they no longer serve us. We hope you leave the theater enriched by a look behind the camera and equipped with a renewed sense of agency in the story of your own life.
Included in this block:
Our Strange New Land (30:00)
Future Boys (11:43)
This Is Our Home (13:32)
Far West (9:25)
How to Behave At a Party (1:57)
Free Noir Papillion (11:09)
Everythingeater (15:56)
"Our Strange New Land" is sponsored by the Film Studies program at UNC.
Masking and either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
Progress is rarely perfect or easy, which is why this collection of shorts seeks to honor the journey itself in all its complexity. In these stories you will find triumph, hardship, and doubt – but never complacency. The individuals at the heart of these films have one thing in common: they are moving forward, and we are happy to be along for the ride.
Films in this block:
CANS Can't Stand (18:33)
Letter From a Refugee (2:30)
The Last Last Hike (19:54)
Becoming (10:45)
Gay Haircut (7:30)
Bright Morning Stars (16:58)
More Than I Want to Remember (14:00)
Masking and either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
We’re inviting you to a screening of nine short films that collectively explore the human traditions and natural forces shaping human behavior. Among the alluring characters in this collection, we meet a hunter who reflects on his place in nature, a group of hippies who set out to revive Western swing country music, and a climber who refuses to give up on a challenging boulder. We hope you leave this block with a newfound appreciation for the things that draw us together and illuminate our humanity.
Films in this block:
Birds (13:50)
To The Bone (5:36)
The Sax Man (3:00)
OTIS (10:26)
How We Found Our Sound (11:11)
Don't You Go Nowhere (8:00)
Tides (8:00)
May We Know Our Strength (5:45)
Inner Mounting Flame (24:18)
Masking and either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
In this collection of documentary shorts, we are returning to origins: an abandoned childhood home, a raging river, a farm in the mountains, and the very dust from which we came. The subjects at the heart of these films are reckoning with their place in history and nature and, along the way, developing deeper connections to others, to their communities, and to their world. Our hope is that you leave this block feeling more rooted in yourself and more ready to enrich the people, places, and things that give you life.
Films in this block:
First Final Ride (11:19)
Freedom Hill (29:43)
Wintering Grounds (20:37)
Fog Likely Farm (27:35)
"Returning to the Source" is sponsored by the elondocs program at Elon University.
Masking and either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
When the curtains rise for this block, we’re prescribing our audience the red pill and showing you just how deep the rabbit hole goes. In this collection of seven short films, you will see the world through new eyes. Travel the city with a homeless man seeking justice. Step into the arena with a former sniper recovering from PTSD. Encounter a mysterious backyard hole with an anxious young boy. We can’t promise you’ll be able to bend spoons after these films, but you will know the truth.
Films in this block:
Soldier (22:00)
Dead Fair (3:03)
Pulled Over / Pulled Under (17:08)
To Live and Die in the Shadows (5:29)
God Bless (8:21)
Hell and Back Again (5:00)
The Devil Will Run (10:24)
Act of God (21:54)
"I Know the Truth" is sponsored by Shadowbox Studio in Durham.
Masking and either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
Did you hear the story about the Holocaust survivor who inspired clowns? What about the Vietnamese immigrant who bonds with her daughter while paying bills over the phone? Have you heard about the trailblazing civil rights leader George H. White? Neither had we, which is why this block of shorts is devoted to the stories we haven’t told enough. Sometimes painful, sometimes celebratory, these films explore universal questions of family, identity, privilege, loss, and the human search for happiness. We hope you leave this block with a new perspective on the small things in life and, of course, some new stories to tell.
Films in this block:
Smile Little Ladybug (16:39)
Ma's Kitchen (12:19)
Craven Gap (4:10)
Ebbs and Flows (9:20)
In These Times (3:12)
I'm the Girl (16:18)
Pickup (12:34)
George H. White: Searching for Freedom (26:00)
“Stories We (Should) Tell” is sponsored by Blair, a nonprofit, independent press that publishes diverse books, including literary fiction, poetry, and nonfiction about the American South and beyond.
Masking and either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
Audre Lorde once said, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” In this collection of six short films, we see marginalized Southern bodies transformed from objects of oppression into powerful sites of resistance and rebirth. Among the individuals featured in these films are a Black mother who must protect the genetic integrity of her unborn child, a fat woman who confronts her well-meaning bandmates during a sexy album shoot, and an Alabama activist who works tirelessly to provide accessible COVID-19 vaccination to her small town community. We hope you will leave this block invigorated and empowered to use your own body as an agent of change.
Films in this block:
The Panola Project (16:39)
Myles Berrio (7:49)
Rebyrth (5:14)
Post-Citrus (10:53)
Suga Brown (17:49)
Dawn: A Charleston Legend (34:00)
"Southern Bodies" is sponsored by The Chelsea Theater in Chapel Hill.
Masking and either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
Carrboro Film Fest is proud to present Tableau, a feature film by Chapel Hill native Stuart Howes. After a middle-aged woman has an affair, she tries to win back the respect of her oldest daughter while keeping the truth a secret from her youngest. Family bonds are put to the test in this thought-provoking drama set and filmed in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. We invite you to join us for the local premier of Tableau and a special Q&A with the director, cast, and crew after the screening.
The screening will open with "Steps," a narrative short in which a recently separated couple attempts to get closure during a long overdue swimming lesson. Directed by Blake Rice.
Masking and either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
Living in North Carolina means you never have to travel too far for a good time — which is why the final night of the Hillsborough Summer Film Series will feature films made exclusively by NC filmmakers. This collection of documentary and narrative shorts showcases our state’s diverse cultures from the mountains to the sea. What becomes of an aging Luchador who finds himself working a tedious desk job? How does a woman in her late 70s get through hard times on a pair of red and white roller skates? Can all life’s problems really be solved by cake? Join your neighbors at Yonder for an entertaining night of Carolina films that are sure to renew your love for the place you call home. Admission is free.
Films in this program:
Lacie, Sex Planet
Cake
Roll Pin Punch
All Skate, Everybody Skate
Whistle Down Wind
My Luchador
Cheat-Proof
“Best of North Carolina” is part of the Hillsborough Summer Film Series, curated from some of Carrboro Film Fest’s best short film selections in recent years. Some of the filmmakers will be in attendance.
Living in the South isn’t all biscuits and gravy — it can be challenging, tense, even scary. This collection of short films showcases films that explore some of the darker elements of the Southern experience to produce riveting and thought-provoking stories. What happens to a marriage on the rocks when the couple is forced to bury a body? How will a man choose to confront a history of racism during a night out with an estranged childhood friend? Will a high-tech home be a blessing to a growing family, or something far more insidious? Join your neighbors at Yonder for a night of nail-biting films that are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Admission is free.
Films in this program:
Fenestra
Don’t be a Sucka
Night of the Fluffet
Crush
Helping Hand
Winston
Going Down Slow
“Southern Chuckles” is part of the Hillsborough Summer Film Series, curated from some of Carrboro Film Fest’s best short film selections in recent years. Some of the filmmakers will be in attendance.
Living in the South requires a sense of humor. In this collection of short films, Southern awkwardness and charm are on full display. What goes wrong when two dim-witted criminals try to rob a house? How does a hungry reverend react to his nursing home's food choices? What happens when a struggling filmmaker takes the advice "write what you know" too literally? Join your neighbors at Yonder for a night of films that will leave you chuckling long after the screening. Admission is free.
Films in this program:
Donny and Clive
Pussy Talk
Jack Township Village
Daisy Rides Again
Shelter
Hangry
Merit Badges
The Unlikely Fan
Workforce
Writer’s Block
“Southern Chuckles” is part of the Hillsborough Summer Film Series, curated from some of Carrboro Film Fest’s best short film selections in recent years. Some of the filmmakers will be in attendance.
This poignant adventure story takes viewers on a journey of the heart, as Betsy Bertram follows the trail her deceased father left behind in his home videos and journals. On a quest to finish the film project her father began decades earlier, Betsy travels from the mountains to the seashore of North Carolina, discovering a path made up of life's most vibrant elements — family, community, music, food, and a deep connection to nature. As Betsy navigates the grief process, she unveils her father’s legacy and reveals for viewers the beauty and meaning of a life well-lived.
Writer and producer Betsy Bertram will be in attendance for a Q&A immediately following the screening.
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
Rev. Dawn Flynn is a Southern minister yearning for validation in the pulpit and working toward reconciliation in her marriage — challenges she didn’t face when she was Duane. Proper Pronouns chronicles the emotional journey of Dawn and three other transgender ministers as they attempt to redefine their identities and prove to their Southern congregations that they belong in ministry.
Director Megan Daniels will be in attendance for a Q&A immediately following the screening.
The screening will open with the documentary shorts “Liz at Large” and “A Fine Girl.”
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
Two Nashville music icons, John Hiatt & Jerry Douglas, combine their talents during the pandemic to record the album Leftover Feelings in Elvis’s favorite studio, RCA’s fabled Studio B. Walking in the footsteps of Elvis, Dolly, and Waylon, and through the house that Chet Atkins built, John & Jerry attempt to revive and capture the magical sounds of this iconic room where so many early hit songs were made. Featuring commentary along the journey from their friends Lyle Lovett, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Molly Tuttle, and Jeff Hanna, this documentary spotlights the legacy of Music City’s most significant studio through the lens of two godfathers of Americana music.
Director Ted Roach and author Michael Elliott (Have a Little Faith: The John Hiatt Story) will be in attendance for a Q&A immediately following the screening.
The screening will open with the documentary short “Dolly & I.”
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
What will happen next? This collection of narrative shorts will draw you in and leave you unsettled. How will a heartbroken woman contend with an alien invasion? Can a teenage girl defend her family farm from invading pillagers? Will a mother survive her unorthodox cancer treatments? In these seven short films, we feel the drama and suspense of a South imagined in both fantastic and realistic ways.
Films in this block:
Fenestra
Rideshare
Don’t Be a Sucka
The Scavenger
Side C
Spread Among Us
Malignant
Some of the content might not be appropriate for children.
This screening is free, but tickets will still be required. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking will also be required to attend. Tickets available here.
Nick, a chef on the brink of opening his first restaurant, struggles to put his life back together after the loss of his mother. At his wife's urging, he reluctantly reaches out to Briana, his estranged, transgender parent. Seeking closure with both parental relationships, he invites Briana to join him on St. Simons Island, Georgia, to scatter his mother's ashes. As they journey across the American Southeast, Nick and Briana must come to terms with the rocky emotional terrain of their pasts and find a new path forward.
Landlocked was directed by Timothy Hall (Born River Bye) and marks the film debut of transgender actress Delia Kropp. Hall will be in attendance for a Q&A immediately following the screening.
The screening will open with the short film “If I’m Good” by Jonathan Pawlowski.
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
Southern Truths is a collection of documentary shorts exploring diverse ways to experience the South and to live as a Southerner. In this film block, we travel to Texas to meet a Sri Lankan-born teacher and mother who’s crazy about basketball. We follow a team of North Carolina eco-volunteers working to preserve a river. We witness the obstacles and resistance that Black Lives Matter activists face in Graham, NC. Together, these true stories reveal the challenges and complexity of life in the South.
Films in this block:
Carnelian
Ponte las Espuelas (Put On Your Spurs)
The Unlikely Fan
Ten Leaves Dilated
Dixie
Wild and Scenic
A Galaxy Sits in the Cracks
Remembering Willie Earle
Sound of Judgment
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
We Southerners appreciate a good joke, and we know how to laugh at ourselves, too. This collection of narrative shorts highlights Southern silliness and self-deprecation. What happens when the main character of a sitcom realizes he's literally in a sitcom? Can a super-rich party girl prove to her Daddy that she can be a more mature adult? How will a young filmmaker suffering from writer’s block finish his murder mystery? Here’s a collection of films for those who don’t take life too seriously.
Films in this block:
Daisy Rides Again
What the Heck Is Going On?
Pussy Talk
A Bloody Good Time
Big Hill, Big Dream
Miss Responsibility
Sideways
Free Order
Writer’s Block
Some of the content might not be appropriate for children.
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
In a small church in Asheville, NC, parishioners and visitors encounter a fresco mural unlike any other. It’s a mural not of saints, nor of the rich and powerful, but rather of people battling homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. From the first sketch to the final unveiling, Theirs Is the Kingdom illuminates the beauty and intricacies of the artwork while revealing the gritty and moving realities of those depicted.
Director Christopher Zaluski will be in attendance for a Q&A immediately following the screening.
The screening will open with the documentary shorts “Irreplaceable” and “This Divided Land.”
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masking will be required to attend. Tickets available here.
