POV Shorts has announced its seventh set of acquisition titles for its eighth season, which is set to premiere on Nov. 18. Highlights include Jeff Orlowski-Yang’s (“The Social Dilemma”) alongside Sarah Keo’s work titled “Chasing Time.”
Initiated in 2018, “POV Shorts” has become an essential outlet for creators to communicate stories about significant modern issues and cultural experiences. This season will tackle various themes such as intergenerational care, mentorship, local heritages, the power of memory, identity, and historical awareness.
“I am immensely proud of this array of films, which showcases innovative storytelling and highlights courageous individuals paving the way for impactful change,” stated Opal H. Bennett, senior producer and executive producer of POV Shorts at American Documentary. “Each season, our mission at POV is to share films that inspire conversation and create change.”
“Chasing Time” reunites the filmmakers behind the acclaimed documentary “Chasing Ice” to present visual evidence of climate change, encouraging a move toward a sustainable future. This short documentary premiered at the 2024 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.
Alongside “Chasing Time,” POV Shorts will unveil Imani Dennison’s “The People Could Fly,” Twiggy Pucci Garçon’s “MnM,” and Marshall Granger’s “Your Opinion, Please” on Nov. 18.
In “The People Could Fly,” director Imani Dennison reveals the heritage of Black gathering spaces and roller-skating culture in Louisville, Kentucky, spanning from the 1960s to the mid-2000s. This film marks the first release from the Chicken & Egg Pictures POV Shorts co-production fund as well as the first original project produced by American Documentary/POV Shorts that will be featured in a POV Shorts season. Debuting at the 2024 Blackstar Film Festival, it will be succeeded by Richard O’Connor’s animated piece “StoryCorps: Dear Mrs. Doyle.”
“MnM” captures the journeys of two budding runway stars, Mermaid and Milan, within the drag ballroom scene. Granger’s “Your Opinion, Please” compiles a decade’s worth (1997-2007) of unfiltered, live audience feedback from Yellowstone Public Radio, contrasting it with contemporary Montana and illuminating ongoing conversations about community dynamics, affordability, and freedom of expression.
On Nov. 25, the later three short documentaries of season eight—“In Songs of Black Folk,” “La Orquesta,” and “Classroom 4”—will be made available.
A collaborative effort with LA Times Short Docs, “In Songs of Black Folk,” directed by Haley Watson and Justin Emeka, showcases premier Black musical talents performing on one stage in the Pacific Northwest, establishing a transformative tradition for Black artists in the context of Juneteenth. “La Orquesta,” in partnership with Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) and co-presented by VOCES, follows an activist teacher in Atlanta and her youth orchestra through a school year to present new insights on the immigrant experience. Directed by Monica Villavicencio and Stephanie Liu, this film will be followed by the animated “StoryCorps: A Mother’s Promise.”
“Classroom 4,” led by director Eden Wurmfeld, takes viewers inside a prison classroom where college students and inmates collaboratively explore the history of crime and punishment, provoking profound discussions about justice and humanity.
“Songs of Black Folk,” “Chasing Time,” “The People Could Fly,” and “Classroom 4” have all gained qualification for Oscar consideration.
(“La nueva ola de añil” (“The New Indigo Wave”) is additionally featured in the eighth season of POV Shorts and is currently available for streaming.)
All seven short documentaries will be accessible for streaming at POV.org and on the PBS App.
