The 34th Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (HSDFF) is around the corner and Arkansas PBS is thrilled to be participating, supporting local and emerging filmmakers. Arkansas PBS is proud to be a resource and an outlet for independent filmmakers in the state and wants to help encourage the art of storytelling by participating in the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival from Oct. 10 through 18.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Filmmaker Forum
Sunday, Oct. 12 – Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 9 a.m.
The HSDFF Filmmaker Forum is a three-day filmmaker/industry conference that offers dynamic programming on the business, art, and craft of documentary storytelling, taking a wider lens approach to the nonfiction ecosystem. The gathering will include presentations, panels, breakout groups and roundtable meetings, with several opportunities for filmmakers to engage with industry leaders and network with their colleagues in the creative nonfiction community.
Emerging Filmmakers Program
Crystal Ballroom at the Arlington Resort Hotel
Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Free event, registration requested.
Arkansas PBS will bring its Emerging Filmmakers Workshop back to HSDFF on Tuesday, Oct. 14. This workshop connects middle and high school students with working filmmakers to inspire young, aspiring filmmakers and offer both theoretical knowledge and the hands-on skills necessary to begin their filmmaking journeys, along with valuable career-building insights.
This year, the Emerging Filmmakers Program aims to help students connect documentary storytelling to their interests – particularly in sports broadcasting. The program kicks off at 9 a.m. with a screening of “Remaining Native,” a coming-of-age documentary told from the perspective of Ku Stevens, a 17-year-old Native American runner struggling to navigate his dream of becoming a collegiate athlete as the memory of his great grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school begins to connect past, present and future.
Following the screening, Ku’s father, Delmar Stevens, will join for a talkback and Q&A where Delmar will share what it’s like to be the subject of a documentary. Students will gain insight into the process from both sides of a camera among other things.
After a break for lunch, Arkansas PBS producers Terrell Case, Kevin Clark, Tanisha Joe-Conway and Eric White will present a hands-on workshop that shows how sports documentaries go beyond the highlights – they are a form of journalism. Students will explore storytelling structure, journalistic best practices and archival research, learning how to turn sports stories into compelling narratives that connect culture, community and identity.
Around noon, students will break into small groups, each guided by a workshop leader. Within these groups, students will be invited to pitch story ideas. Leaders will then select one pitch per group to develop further, discussing potential interviews, sources for footage, options for historical materials when needed and creative strategies for stories without existing footage. Together, leaders and students will explore angles that strengthen storytelling and identify what will make each story as powerful and engaging as possible.
Finally, this year’s spotlight highlights the impressive, award-winning work of Lakeside High School students in Hot Springs. Through their school’s sports program, students produce coverage that goes beyond the game, capturing the stories and traditions that define their teams and community. Their work during the 2025 Arkansas High School State Basketball Championships earned Lakeside students a Public Media Award in Student-Led Sports Social Video Marketing – Education – Youth Media. In addition, Lakeside partners with Arkansas PBS to create social media stories that expand their skills and reach. Their current projects focus on basketball, with volleyball and football will soon follow. By sharing their approach to both school-based sports coverage and professional collaborations, Lakeside students provide a powerful peer-to-peer learning opportunity – showing how young storytellers can blend journalism, sports and documentary film.
“Faux Ball: The Legend of Village Academy”
Sunday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m. at Cinema 2 in Conference Room C; Saturday, Oct. 18, at 1 p.m. at the Ponce De Leon Center – Woodlands Auditorium.
Arkansas PBS producer Eric White’s documentary short “Faux Ball: The Legend of Village Academy” has been selected for screening at the HSDFF, and you’ll have two opportunities to catch this short film.
“Faux Ball: The Legend of Village Academy” tells the story of two high school instructors as they pull one of the greatest pranks in Arkansas history. Garry Crowder and Bob Sivlis, with Jessieville High School, grew frustrated with the newspaper coverage of their small sports program and decided to take matters into their own hands. One Friday night, they simply called in a fake score for a nonexistent team, and surprisingly, it made the paper the next day, with no one the wiser. What started as a one-off joke grew and grew, developing a cult following and spreading throughout the state.
Brent Renaud Foundation
Cypress Meeting Room at the Arlington Resort Hotel
Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 1 p.m.
The network will collaborate with the Brent Renaud Foundation in a workshop from the foundation’s Mentorship Program on Wednesday, Oct. 23. This intensive session offers emerging filmmakers the chance to gain insight into the filmmaking profession. Experienced filmmakers joining Craig Renaud will share their creative processes and provide practical advice on how to build a sustainable career in the industry.
LEARN MORE:
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival