Day two of the retreat will culminate in a wider convening of filmmakers, funders, policymakers, and other stakeholders to discuss the current state of support for nonfiction storytellers in the South/Mid-South and what can be done to bolster the resources available to nonfiction creatives in the region and pooled to greater effect.
Who Can Participate?
Southern/Mid-Southern-based filmmakers or filmmakers with a current project and a strong personal/family connection to the South are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to projects by Southern-based filmmakers whose films are rooted in/set in the South. Southern/Mid-Southern-based projects in which the director and producer may not be based in or from the South are eligible but not given priority consideration.
Both directors and producers are eligible to apply. Note that, regardless of whether a project has more than one director, only one participant will be eligible per project.
Selected films need to be in production and have a 5 - 15 minute work sample to be considered. If selected, filmmakers will show a 3-5 minute clip at the Showcase during the Filmmaker Forum, which will be followed by a moderated conversation.
Applications will be reviewed by a team made up of Indie Media Arts South representatives and the HSDFF Filmmaker Forum team.
HSDFF employees, staff, and board members are ineligible to apply.
At what stage will you accept projects?
Projects should be in late development to rough cut stage. If you are not sure whether you should apply based on the stage you are at with your project, please contact the HSDFF Filmmaker Forum team.
What kind of projects are eligible?
Documentary shorts (15-40 minutes), documentary feature films, and docuseries are eligible.
How many filmmakers will participate?
6 filmmakers will be selected to participate in the retreat.
How many days will I need to be in Hot Springs/Retreat Center?
Filmmakers selected for the retreat must also be available to participate in the Filmmaker Forum and will be expected to present their projects during the Works in Progress Showcase at the Filmmaker Forum. Filmmakers will arrive in Hot Springs on Friday Oct. 9 and depart for home on either the late afternoon/evening of Tues. Oct. 13 or Weds. Oct. 14.
What kind of financial support do retreat participants receive?
Retreat participants will have their complete travel costs and accommodations paid for and will receive a nominal per diem to cover meals while they are here. Filmmakers will stay in Hot Springs on the nights of October 9th, 11th and 12th, and at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute on October 10th. At the retreat, accommodations and meals will be provided at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute Retreat center.
What is the connection between the Filmmaker Retreat and the Filmmaker Forum?
The Filmmaker Retreat was born out of the question: What if the filmmakers participating in the Forum’s Work in Progress Showcase could receive an intensive, bespoke experience that focused greater resources on their projects with the goal of moving those projects forward beyond what the Showcase alone could provide? A further goal of the retreat is that retreat participants will give back to the Forum by sharing learnings from the Retreat with Forum participants in structured and informal ways.
Retreat participants will present their projects and clips for feedback at the Forum’s Work in Progress Showcase on Oct. 12 or 13
A complete HSDFF Filmmaker Retreat Schedule will be posted in the weeks to come.
What is the Nonfiction Storytelling Summit?
To be held during the second day of the retreat, the inaugural Nonfiction Storytelling Summit is based on the idea that besides providing individualized support for filmmakers, the retreat should also be a place to address issues impacting the larger ecosystem of support for nonfiction storytellers in the region. The summit will bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including filmmakers, funders, policymakers and other leaders to discuss what resources are currently available for documentary filmmakers and other nonfiction creators based in the region, what are the gaps in support, and what can be done to create forward movement for a more robust and impactful support system. The Summit will be facilitated by the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute’s’ facilitation team.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER FORUM
Taking place in scenic Hot Springs, Arkansas on October 12 and 13, the 2026 Filmmaker Forum offers dynamic programming focused on the business, art, and craft of documentary storytelling. The gathering includes keynotes, panels, networking opportunities, and roundtable meetings with industry leaders. The Filmmaker Forum will offer a multitude of opportunities for filmmakers to connect and foster community. Learn more about the Filmmaker Forum
here.
ABOUT THE SHOWCASE
The WIP showcase will take place during the Filmmaker Forum and will screen the work of up to six documentary filmmakers who are making films in or about the South and Mid-South (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia).
