Community-based policing, anti-trans book ban and stories of undocumented farmworkers were among the subjects of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles’ annual DocuSlate documentary program, in which NFMLA spotlighted documentary filmmakers and stories from around the world 

DocuSlate, held in November, began with the Los Angeles premiere of “The Walk,” an inter-continental fairytale about refugee experience by Tamara Kotevska, the Oscar-nominated director of Honeyland.

“Our media is filled with stories of refugees as victims, but with this film I want to change the perception of refugees as weights, or as collateral damage to societies,” said Kotevska. “I want to show that refugees… are individuals who can offer so much.”

The event continued with the Los Angeles premiere of “Impossible Town” by co-directors Meg Griffiths and Scott Faris. It is a portrait of a West Virginia community in crisis after decades of exposure to cancer-causing chemicals and massive population loss, and a radical plan to help those who remain. 

The block Shorts I included stories of a recovering after a near-death experience, making a home in an unlikely place, a deep dive into family histories of survival, being a pioneer in a sport, and emigrating from the US for a better life.

Next came documentarian Vivian Denny Veidt’s feature film Pack Is Here in its Los Angeles premiere and Camilo Silva’s short documentary “The Canary,” both of which tell stories about individuals and communities pushing back against rising efforts to dim trans visibility. “The Canary” focuses on a librarian and mother’s fight against transphobic book bans, while Pack is Here explores the world of trans roller derby players and the wider derby community.

“I hope you’ll not only be entertained and enlightened but also inspired to be an advocate for change. Our roller derby family has shown us that a better world is possible, and it’s up to all of us to make it a reality,” Veidt said.

Next up was DocuSlate Shorts II, which includes explorations of the lives of undocumented farm workers, barriers to abortion access, community policing, and the need for criminal records pardons. 

The event concluded with the Los Angeles premiere of Sean P. Fahey’s “For Kicks,” preceded by the Denise Pendleton, Phil Lee and Darryl Manuel short documentary “What’s Black About It? Burrell: Advertising Revolution.” Each explores Black representation in the 1970’s and 80’s.

NFMLA showcases films by filmmakers of all backgrounds throughout the year, across both our general and InFocus programming. All filmmakers are welcome and encouraged to submit their projects for consideration for upcoming NFMLA Festivals, regardless of the schedule for InFocus programming, which celebrates diversity, inclusion and region by spotlighting  communities of filmmakers within our filmmaking community as part of our monthly program.

Here are details about the filmmakers and the films, and their interviews:

“Someone You Know,” directed by Asha Dahya 

About Asha: Asha Dahya is an Emmy-nominated Producer, writer, TEDx speaker and storyteller. She has spent twp decades creating, producing and hosting content for networks and organizations such as MTV, MSN.com, Disney, ABC, Nickelodeon, Fox, the ACLU, Supermajority, Snapchat, Nine Network Australia and more. In 2024, Asha was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work producing the short film “My Name Is Siri,” a documentary about autism awareness. Asha is the director and producer of a new short documentary about later abortion called “Someone You Know” and created, executive produced and co-hosted an audio and video series about the Green Wave Movement in Latin America called “Green Tide Rising.”

About “Someone You Know”: Three Women. Three Decisions. One hostile landscape. Three women share their experiences navigating numerous barriers in a hostile landscape to get a later abortion.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Asha Dahya, the director of “Someone You Know”:

“Rodney and the River,” directed by David Gantz

About David: David Gantz is a director, editor, and animator based in Los Angeles.

About “Rodney and The River”: In a small verdant strip of the concrete Los Angeles River, the riverbed has been allowed to grow wild. In this tiny wilderness oasis in the heart of the city, Rodney lives off the land. By examining the city’s relationship with this natural resource turned piece of infrastructure, the film explores what it means to be free and human in a modern city

Watch the NFMLA interview with David Gantz, the director of “Rodney and the River”:

“Impossible Town,” directed by Meg Griffiths and Scott Farris 

About Meg: Meg is the co-director and producer of “Impossible Town.” She began her career as a photo and video journalist at the Houston Chronicle, then held a leadership role at Teach For America, where she built the nonprofit’s first video studio. After overseeing content development and digital strategy at an L.A.-based agency, Meg co-founded Universe Creative, a documentary production company. Meg’s work has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and is supported by the International Documentary Association and Redford Center. She holds an MA in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.

About Scott: Scott Faris is the co-director, cinematographer, and editor of “Impossible Town.” He grew up in West Virginia and was a wide-eyed rube at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts before teaching 5th grade on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. After working as a video producer for various educational nonprofits, Scott co-founded Universe Creative with Griffiths. Scott enjoys stories that challenge conventional wisdom and preconceived notions about people and places often overlooked by popular media. 

About Impossible Town: When her father passes, Dr. Ayne Amjad inherits a decades-long struggle to aid a West Virginia town beset by cancer-causing chemicals, and hatches an audacious plan to relocate the town and bring closure to her father’s work.Watch the NFMLA interview with Scott Farris, the director of “Impossible Town”:

“For Kicks,” directed by Sean Fahey

About Sean: Sean Fahey’s films have screened in festivals worldwide, with “Tractor Builder” winning Best of Fest at the Chicago International Film Festival and the Studs Terkel Award. His feature documentary “Bailout” premiered at Silent Cinema in Los Angeles and won Best of Fest at Derby City International Film Festival. Sean produced “Message From the East,” which premiered at the Beirut International Film Festival. His film “Ba Ne Jek Mal” was part of Filmatique’s Banned Nation Series. In 2023, “For Kicks” won Best Documentary at the Arizona Underground Film Festival. Sean works as a director of branded content.

About “For Kicks”: “For Kicks” is a unique window into the history of black martial arts in movies.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Sean Fahey, the director of “For Kicks”:

“Policing Our Own,” directed by Dante de Blasio

About Dante: Dante de Blasio is a writer-director from Brooklyn, New York. He studied political science at Yale University, graduating with distinction in 2019. His non-fiction writing has been published in the Threepenny Review, New York Daily News and USA Today.

About “Policing Our Own”: The Brownsville Safety Alliance (BSA) is a unique public safety experiment in which a busy stretch of the Brooklyn neighborhood of Brownsville is flooded with social service resources, and 911 calls are channeled to community violence interrupters instead of police officers.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Dante, the director of “Policing Our Own”:

“Pack is Here,” directed by Vivian Veidt 

About Vivian: A summa cum laude graduate from the Portland State University School of Film, director and animator Vivian Veidt has both skill and passion for telling the stories of those in vulnerable communities through social-justice documentary films. Her dedication to accurate representation was demonstrated in her directorial debut and first feature documentary, “Distance: Sex Work in the Pandemic” (2022). Her animation work on documentary short “Our Trails Too” (2019) showcased her use of experimental imagery to accentuate the protagonist’s lived experiences of racism. Her most recent documentary, “Pack is Here,” combines her passions for documentary and animation, and has received awards including “Best LGBT Film” at the 2024 Mabig Film Festival.

About “Pack is Here”: Amidst a global push to exclude transgender people from participating in sports, five trans roller derby players share their stories of the hope and community they’ve found playing the game they love.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Vivian Veidt, the director of “Pack is Here”:

“The Canary,” directed by Camilo Silva 

About Camilo: Camilo Silva, a Canadian-American documentary filmmaker and travel photographer, delves into the themes of marginalization and loss through his compelling documentaries and captivating photography. He holds an MFA in Film and Media Arts from the University of Windsor, Canada, and a B.A. from the University of Southern California, honing his craft to bring poignant stories to life. His debut documentary short, “The Canary,” marks his entry into the world of filmmaking, showcasing his keen eye for storytelling and his commitment to shedding light on overlooked narratives. Currently, Camilo is working on a feature length version of “The Canary” that includes a deeper exploration of book-banning efforts in Michigan. Additionally, he is in post-production on another film, “After 68,” a feature-length documentary that meticulously traces the rise and fall of the historic Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Camilo was a fellow at the Latino Producer Academy hosted by National Association of Latino Independent Producers.

About “The Canary”: As a wave of book bans threatens to shut down her community library, a librarian and mother of a trans child stands up against censorship.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Camilo Silva, the director of “The Canary”:

“Primero, Sueño,” directed by Andres Lira

About Andres: Andrés Lira is a Mexican-American filmmaker and artist of Indigenous Purépecha descent. He was born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley and takes pride in coming from a community of farmworkers. His work focuses on amplifying the underrepresented stories of Latino and Indigenous communities through the exploration of identity, culture, and social justice. In 2023, he was selected as one of ten worldwide emerging filmmakers for the Sundance Ignite Fellowship with his film “Primero, Sueño.”

About “Primero, Sueño”: Deep in the Central Valley, undocumented farmworkers share their stories and describe dreams transformed into harsh reality.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Andres Lira, the director of “Primero, Sueno”:

“What’s Black About It? Burrell: Advertising Revolution,” directed by Denise Pendleton

About Denise: Creative visionary and dynamic producer Denise Pendleton has had a long and varied career that has allowed her to cement her position as a trailblazing, consummate professional in the entertainment industry. Recently, in recognition of her work in the music industry, City Bank of California honored Denise, alongside President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and pop music superstar John Legend, for her contribution to the success of the Motown Exhibit at The Grammy Museum.

About “What’s Black About It? Burrell: Advertising Revolution”: In the 1970s, the Burrell Ad Agency changed the face of advertising forever.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Denise Pendleton, the director of “What’s Black About It”:

“Resurgence,” directed by Krushan Naik

About Krushan: Krushan Naik is a producer and editor of the Oscar-qualifying film “Anuja” and works under the editorial and content curation department at Tubi, Inc. (Fox Corporation) in Los Angeles. He is an award-winning filmmaker and has taught film production and post-production courses, served as the head of programming and a judge for film festivals, and has been featured in various publications, including MovieMaker, American Kahani, Film Daily, New York Amsterdam News, Variety, and more. After receiving the “How to Navigate Film Festivals, Marketing & Distribution as a Filmmaker” certification from the Sundance Institute, he worked as a festival specialist, consulting filmmakers on film festivals and marketing strategies. Krushan has won multiple awards for films produced, co-produced, or produced in association with Krushan Naik Films, including the Telly Award, and has premiered his films at prestigious film festivals, including Oscar, BAFTA and Canadian Screen Award-qualifying festivals. Moreover, Krushan has a background in visual effects and 3D animation and was also the successful proprietor of an advertising agency, K.N. Kreative Studios, where he collaborated with Bollywood celebrities and top artists in the film and fashion industries from his time in India.

About “Resurgence”: The survival story of a professional canyoneer after a near-death accident in the canyons of Southern Utah.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Krushan Naik, the director of “Resurgence”:

Main image: “Primero, Sueño,” courtesy of NFMLA.