Forging New Alliances

Change is always somewhat uncomfortable. But it’s also exciting. This Thursday, Oct. 30, I’m participating in a symposium during 100 Reporters’ annual Double Exposure Film Festival. The topic of my panel discussion is: One Year In: Forging New Alliances in Funding and Distribution. My fellow panelists include folks from various segments of the independent and documentary film ecosystem. The festival website describes the focus of our conversation as follows:

“They’ll share hands-on strategies for surviving and thriving in the new distribution ecosystem, from grassroots marketing to leveraging direct-to-audience platforms. We’ll explore how filmmakers are bypassing traditional gatekeepers, building devoted followings, experimenting with hybrid revenue streams, and cultivating sustained communities to power both financial success and lasting social impact. We’ll talk honestly about which doors are closing, which new ones are opening, and what it takes to forge a path as an independent creator when the old certainties have fractured. Filmmakers, producers, journalists, and impact campaigners will come away with actionable insights and a clearer sense of how to stay independent, resilient, and connected in a digital landscape transformed by shifting boundaries and new divides.”

This is a discussion I am eager to engage and one I believe many of you will find invigorating. BPM family members Natalie Bullock Brown, Byron Hurt, and Jacqueline Olive are scheduled to participate on other panel discussions during the symposium.

So, if you’re in the D.C. Metro area this week, please join us. The festival slate includes the D.C. premiere of BPM-funded documentary, Listen to Me, by Kanika Harris and Stephanie Etienne. If you do attend, make a point to say, “Hi.” I look forward to greeting you.

Looking Forward

Certainly, the cessation of federal funding for the work we do is a serious blow, but gatherings like this aim to reassure us that it need not be fatal. There are alternative funding and distribution partners. We must now focus on strengthening existing partnerships and identifying other donors who share our unwavering commitment to independent, nonfiction storytelling.

Our success is vital to the health of our communities and our democracy. I’m excited by the possibilities that lie ahead. How about you?