WE MADE HISTORY

America's first major film festival for historical documentaries was a resounding success! With the support of our staff, volunteers, sponsors, partners, audiences and visiting filmmakers, we’ve paved the way for future Hindsight Film Festivals, making Savannah a new home for historians and filmmakers to convene and build a community.

From our Filmmakers

  • "This festival is one of the best I've ever gone to. Keep it up."

    — Barbara Kopple, two-time Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker

  • "From the moment I arrived, the energy was warm, welcoming, and deeply supportive."

    — Olubayo Jackson, director of Ring Shout: Let the Circle be Unbroken

  • "Behind the Lines had, by far, our largest gathering at The Hindsight Film festival."

    — Andrew Carroll, historian and founder of the Center for American War Letters

  • "What a well-oiled machine from top to bottom — like it had been around for a decade, not its first year."

    — Hal Jacobs, director of Stalking the "Big Cat" of Georgia

  • "They did an amazing job driving an audience to my screening and provided great moderators for all the screenings I attended."

    — Augusta Palmer, director of The Blues Society

  • "The whole team bent over backwards to thoughtfully program films and accommodate filmmakers, creating a new place for historical documentarians to come together and celebrate their works."

    — Tammy Botkin, director of A Long March

Highlights from our 5-day event

Over 1,000 total attendees

  • 50 visiting filmmakers & crew

  • 30 staff & volunteers

  • 25 industry-recognized moderators

  • 10 acclaimed festival judges in attendance

Honored guests

Capacity crowds at 6 spectacular venues

  • Otis S. Johnson, Ph.D. Cultural Arts Center

  • National Museum of The Mighty 8th Air Force

  • The Kennedy Auditorium at Savannah State University

  • Savannah Arts Academy High School auditorium

  • Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum & The Dr. Priscilla D. Thomas Annex

  • The Learning Center at Senior Citizens Inc

Educational Outreach

  • Fannie Lou Hamer's America screening with director Q&A for students and public at Savannah State University

  • "Historical Heroes" short films for high school students at Savannah Arts Academy, including Q&A with college filmmakers

  • Filmmaker Workshop, free for students, with the filmmakers and animator for You Should Never Blink

  • High school and college student filmmakers from around the country in attendance

  • Faculty moderators and judges from SCAD, Savannah State, and Georgia Southern

  • Student staff and volunteers from SCAD, Savannah State, and Georgia Southern

Accessibility

  • Open Captions included for several features and shorts programs

  • Wheelchair accessibility and seating at every event

  • Planned walkability and all events within close proximity

  • Panel with the directors, writers and producers of the PBS series RENEGADES about little-known historical figures with disabilities

Worldwide Virtual Film Festival

  • 8 feature films

  • 20 short films

  • 375 total viewers over 2 weeks with international reach

Juried Competition

  • 8 unique awards for each category of feature, short and student films

  • 15 industry-recognized judges

  • Sunday awards ceremony brunch at Soho South

Sponsorships and Partnerships

  • National and local sponsors including The Better Angels Society, Georgia Public Broadcasting and The Savannah Regional Film Commission

  • Collaboration with local museums, foundations, educational institutions, and media outlets

  • History tours by local historians

  • Book table sponsored by The Book Lady Book Store with books related to the films

Media Coverage

to all 20 features and 34 shorts
selected for Hindsight 2026

CONGRATULATIONS

What's not seen here are all the many deep conversations and connections made by the full range of attendees. Film lovers of all ages and history buffs of all varieties were able to meet and mingle in a relaxed environment, which is something you don't always see at bigger festivals. In the coming weeks and months, we will be posting photo galleries and long-form video coverage of the event to our website. We'll also be announcing year-round special screenings and our next call for entries starting in August.

Cheers!

Pat Longstreth
Founding Director
Hindsight Film Festival