American Dream No More
From his upbringing in the Jim Crow South to Harvard, Deon, a Native American college professor, reflects on the struggles and triumphs of growing up Lumbee in a world that often refused to see him fully—navigating the weight of systemic inequalities while carrying the cultural richness of his heritage.
Born This Way
Adam and Steve are a happily married gay couple who have built a strong and loving family together. When their son begins exhibiting interests and behaviors that are more in line with heterosexual norms, the couple is thrown into a crisis.
For Every Breath
A young girl goes on an illicit scavenger hunt to find medication for her strung-out grandmother.
Freeman Vines
82-year-old Freeman Vines built his first guitar when he was 16 and since then has been trying to reproduce an elusive sound the instrument made. Now living in Fountain, a town of 130 souls in eastern North Carolina, Vines hand-carves guitars and objects that speak to his lifelong conflict with racism in this region. When he acquired a stack of lumber from a tree used in the lynching of a young Black man named Oliver
Heart Cracked Open
Occaneechi-Saponi activist Crystal Cavalier and her family fight to protect sacred places in their ancestral homeland from fossil fuel development. This intimate portrait of family, resilience, and defiance chronicles their fight to protect Mother Earth and reclaim an identity all but erased by centuries of discrimination.
Heart of the City
A cinematic portrait of five Winston-Salem locals on the street, as they share a lifetime of wisdom from struggle.
Ice Cream for Breakfast
After being cast out from home early in the morning, a teenage boy struggles to protect his little brother from the harsh realities of their household.
In Loving Memory
“In Loving Memory” follows the life of Chapel Hill-based Japanese artist Chieko Murasugi and explores how her artistic style and philosophy is inspired by the survival of her parents during the bombings of Tokyo in World War II. Chieko rediscovers her mother’s love for colors and patterns and incorporates these elements in her painting series.
Jazz Photographer, The
This documentary short delves into the world of Bobby Roebuck, exploring how he captures the essence of jazz through his lens. Through his photography, Roebuck tells a compelling story of the genre’s evolution and the artists who bring it to life.
Lack of It, The
Sherita drives for a social transportation service in Winston-Salem. Tina works for the local Transit Authority and made it her mission to keep the memory of a black-owned transportation company alive that was once the biggest of its kind: Safe Bus. Between past and present, the two women uncover a story of segregation and empowerment, community and mobility, and shed light on structural racism that is still present.
Making Sense Backwards: The Nick Bragg Story
After 25 commissioned murals, 87-year-old North Carolina artist Nick Bragg paints his own story for the first time, wrestling with its creative muses and darkness, while making sense of his life by looking backwards. The film combines real-time painting with reflection, humor, and flights of fancy, resulting in a southern memoir on canvas.
North Carolina Shorts 2025: Program 1: Documentaries
Celebrating stories from our own backyard, this program showcases compelling documentary films made by North Carolina filmmakers or focused on subjects that make North Carolina unique.
North Carolina Shorts 2025: Program 2: Narratives
This collection of narrative shorts highlights the creativity and talent of North Carolina filmmakers. Featuring stories with local connections, these films showcase a diverse range of voices and perspectives, celebrating the rich storytelling tradition of our region.
Order for Ben
Ben, a trans man with a bright and joyful life and community, agrees to meet his traditional father for coffee after seven years of estrangement.
Oscurecimiento, El
Lara Sholtz is a skilled assassin with dissociative amnesia who lives a double life. When you don’t remember pulling the trigger, killing is easy. At least it was, until the man in the Bunny Mask handed her the red envelope. When a routine job goes bad, the tables turn, and she becomes the target caught in the crossfire. Now she must wake up and choose between truth or deception, reality or oblivion, life or death,
