Speak, Memory: Documentary

Covering subjects from small business owners to rural activists, these documentaries engage us with the personal histories and values of individuals and groups.

The Art of Avila Rose

Elsis Saravia, Michelle Gao, Isaiah Molinga-Puletasi, Yulieth Aguilar and Sojo Titus | California | Age 14-17

Isaac Vazquez Avila and Lauren Rose D’Amato reveal their working process and ethos as the artists and owners of Avila Rose Signs, a custom sign shop in San Francisco, CA.

Protect What You Love

Mia Lazar | Virginia | Age 19

Through interviews with local activists, this exposé charts the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s impact on the people of Appalachia and reveals why they fight so hard to protect the land they love.

Carry me in

Rebecca Miriam Penner | California | Age 22

This delicate personal essay film tracks the filmmaker’s connection with insects from their childhood fascination to their development of late-stage Lyme Disease as a young adult.

Orchestra. Portrait

Daria Litvichenko | Estonia | Age 19

A sensory portrait of the Tallinn University Symphony Orchestra that follows them on their tour to Järva-Jaani, showing how timeless music transforms a small Estonian town.

Nisqually Moving Forward

Caleb Jacobson | Oregon | Age 20

Legendary tribal leader Billy Frank Jr. dedicated his life to protecting fishing and land rights. His son, Nisqually Chairman Willie Frank III continues his father’s legacy and shares a vision for a path forward.

The Last Page

Kota Nakamura | Japan | Age 22

In the suburbs of Tokyo, an elderly bookseller reflects on his antiquarian bookstore that is on the verge of closure due to the pandemic.