Filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions and master classes have been an integral part of SDFF since it began over 16 years ago. Filmmakers had been increasingly ubiquitous at the in-person festival, holding Q&As after screenings, giving presentations about their areas of expertise, pitching films, connecting with other filmmakers and engaging in panel discussions on topics related to the industry, filmmaking practice, the media in general, and, in some cases, documentary topics that were essential to a given year’s fest. When the pandemic hit and we found ourselves quickly moving to online events, we knew it would be impossible to reproduce this same level of participation, but were also presented with new possibilities for our filmmakers to communicate with their audiences and their colleagues, while also leaving a record for posterity, and an archive for folks to revisit.
This Video Exclusives section includes all free video exclusives from SDFF 2020 through 2023, from filmmaker interviews and panel discussions to awards speeches.
2023 FILMMAKER INTERVIEWS + PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Reaching The Summit – Insider Tips For Navigating Documentary’s Rocky Terrain l In Search Of Justice – El Equipo Discussion l Filmmakers – On Documentary Style l Interview with Exposure filmmaker Holly Morris
2023 FILMMAKER AWARD ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES
Audience Award, Best Documentary Short – The Block, All Filmmakers l Audience Award, Best Documentary Feature – Prognosis- notes on living, Filmmakers Kate Stilley Steiner and Nancy Otto l Jury Award, Best Documentary Short – More Than I Want To Remember, Amy Bench l Jury Award, Best Mini-Doc – Dear Max, Alex Kahn
2022 FILMMAKER INTERVIEWS + PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Reflection: a walk with water, Environmental Stewardship Forum
2022 FILMMAKER AWARD ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES
Jury Award Special Mention, Mini-Doc – Elliot Spencer, Sentience 知覺 l Jury Award Best Short – Ben Proudfoot, A Concerto Is A Conversation l Jury Award Best Feature – Aldo Gugolz & Susanne Schule, Cows On The Roof l Jury Award Best Mini-Doc – Steven Fraser, Prosopagnosia
2021 PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Sound As Your Lead Actor with Will Storkson l Skye Fitzgerald, Hunger Ward l On Documentary Style with Karen Pearlman, I Want To Make A Film About Women l How To Read The Credits (5-person industry panel) l Social Media & Marketing w/ David Farinella l Local Journalism On The Brink (3-person panel)
2021 FILMMAKER INTERVIEWS
Director Susan Sandler + Comedian Julia Scotti, Julia Scotti: Funny That Way l Director Yung Chang, This Is Not A Movie + Wuhan Wuhan l Director Mostafa Salehi Nezahad, Three Meters And A Few Centimeters l Director Mirra Bank, No Fear, No Favor l Farzaneh Omidvarnia, Son Sparrow l Director Mark Street + Artist William Kelly, Can Art Stop A Bullet l 30 Best American LGBTQIA Docs
2021 FILMMAKER AWARD ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES
Pelin Esmer, Queen Lear l Marlén Viñayo, Unforgivable l Jørgen Lorentzen, A Gift From God l Dean Hamer + Joe Wilson Kapaemahu l David Baram, One All The Way
2020 FILMMAKER INTERVIEWS + DISCUSSIONS
Yang Sun + S. Leo Chiang, Our Time Machine l Trond Kevin Andreassen, Neighbours l Jon Osaki, Alternative Facts: The Lies Of Executive Order 9066 l Mark Titus, The Wild l Eva Rendle, All That Remains l Bruce Young, Eye Of The Pangolin l Cynthia Abbot + Andrea Leland, Dick Ogg: Fisherman
2020 FILMMAKER AWARD ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES
Luke Lorentzen, Midnight Family l Iza Pająk, The Whale l Hannah Nordenswan, Night Cleaners