GATHER to screen Thursday, August 20th, 7:00 PM Central
on Doc Film Fest’s New Virtual Platform.
The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (HSDFF) announced today that for the first time in the history of the organization, the 2020 festival will be available on a virtual screening platform. In addition, the festival will continue to invest in the next generation of filmmakers by providing access to free Q&As, panels, and workshops for aspiring filmmakers and enthusiasts.
In the lead up to the 29th Annual event Oct 9-17th, HSDFF will host a virtual pre-festival screening of the film GATHER (d. Sanjay Rawal) Thurs, August 20th at 7:00 PM Central. Following the screening will be a live panel discussion.
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has upended communities around the world creating physical, economic, and emotional challenges, but despite these trying times, HSDFF is committed to fulfilling its mission to bring the best of documentary film to Arkansas.
In an effort to reach a wider audience and give access to some of the best documentary films of our time, HSDFF will be offering a virtual platform for the films in the 2020 lineup, providing a safe way for attendees to enjoy this dynamic programming from the comfort of their home.
“Like many festivals around the world we’ve had to adapt to this changing landscape. While the safety of our community is our top priority, we also see this as an opportunity. Our virtual platform will make the festival even more accessible to communities across the state, and will give both filmmakers and our partners a wider audience,” says HSDFF Executive Director, Karina Nagin. “Our team is continuing to explore how we can host creative and safe in-person programming to bring our community together, such as drive-in movies, and we’ll be making those announcements in the coming weeks.”
GATHER follows a chef from White Mountain Apache Tribe (Arizona) opening an indigenous café as a nutritional recovery clinic; a young female scientist from Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (South Dakota) conducting landmark studies on bison; and a group of environmental activists from Yurok Tribe (Northern California) trying to save their river.
“We are thrilled to present Sanjay Rawal’s film, GATHER, in the lead up to HSDFF 2020. This powerful film is about a ‘growing movement amongst Native Americans to reclaim their spiritual, political and cultural identities through food sovereignty’,” says HSDFF Director of Programming, Jessie Fairbanks. “Featuring a fascinating cast of individuals who seek new ways to honor their heritage, GATHER illustrates the power of food as a means of empowerment and connectivity. Both a deeply moving profile and a rich historical expedition, GATHER will delight and surprise you. We are so excited to share this story of resilience and self-determination with our audience,” says Fairbanks.
Following the screening, HSDFF will host a conversation with the filmmaker, cast members, and Janie Hipp, the Former Director of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative at the University of Arkansas.
Tickets for the virtual screening of GATHER on Thurs, August 20th at 7:00 PM Central are $10 and can be purchased at www.hsdfi.org. The full festival program will be announced in September 2020.
About the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
Hosted by America’s “First Resort Town” and held on the doorstep of a national park, the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival is a culturally diverse and intergenerational event. The city’s colorful past as the 1930s playground of Al Capone lingers in the air amidst the majestic turn of the century buildings that make up Bathhouse Row. In the 1950s, Hot Springs served as the boyhood home of President Bill Clinton.
Every October, this 9-day event takes over the town of Hot Springs, Arkansas. Film lovers from all over the country come to participate in our one-of-a-kind festival. With over 80 of the world’s best nonfiction films screening, HSDFF continues to bring the best in documentary film to Arkansas along with free educational panels and workshops that provide unique opportunities for students and film lovers to grow in their craft and network with prominent figures in the documentary space.
Now approaching its 29th year as the oldest all-documentary festival in North America and one of the longest-running non-fiction festivals in the world, the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival remains a prominent champion and protector of the documentary film genre.
For additional information, please visit www.hsdfi.org.
