Documentary Film Festival returns to D.C. with lineup of untold Black stories

By D. Kevin McNeir 
Special to the AFRO

Questions on everything from the story behind the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was murdered in 1968, to what it was like to be a child within the Black Panther Party were addressed June 11–14, during the fourth annual DC/DOX Film Festival.

Festival co-founder and director Sky Sitney said this year’s festival offered something for everyone, with 64 features and 49 shorts from 32 countries, and 17 premieres. 

“At a moment when the world might feel overwhelming and divided, these films offered space to reflect, connect and engage with the urgent questions shaping our lives,” Sitney said.  

Sitney said this year’s documentaries were chosen with an eye toward reminding viewers of the challenges and humanity that they collectively share. 

“This year’s slate was as expansive as it was deeply personal with stories of courage, creativity, resilience and truth – hidden gems waiting to be discovered,” Sitney said. “It was a lineup that reminded us of the singular power of documentary film to bring people together in pursuit of deeper understanding.” 

The festival’s Signature Screenings included the opening night film, “Give Me the Ball!, which is based on the life of tennis icon Billie Jean King. King was slated to be on hand for the event and speak to the audience. 

The festival’s closing night screening, on June 14, featured a provocative conversation with Academy Award-winning director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, who directed one of this year’s most talked-about documentaries. 

In “Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs That’s the Weight of the World,” Questlove honored and explored what some believe to be the most beloved and most enigmatic band. Other documentaries that received rave reviews included “The Lorraine,” referring to the historic motel in Memphis, Tenn., where Dr. King was murdered; “Soul Patrol,” the Vietnam War’s first all-Black special operations team; “Black Zombie,” which reclaimed Haitian Vodou while honoring Haiti as the only nation forged through a successful slave uprising; “Chocolate,” a lyrical portrait of Black Washington, D.C., that showcased the untold stories of those who have fought back against gentrification; and “When the Revolution Doesn’t Come,” which invited the offspring of several of the most well-known leaders of the Black Panther Party to discuss the challenges they faced as children 50 years ago.

Sitney said choosing the documentaries for this year’s festival required the Herculean efforts of a team of directors, producers and others with whom she was honored to work. 

“We traveled thousands of miles and put in only a few less hours to find extraordinary films – stories that clearly resonated with everyone and illustrated those characteristics that make us all part of the human family,” Sitney said. 

As a bonus, after each documentary was screened, a panel discussion was held which featured many of the directors, each of whom was eager to talk about his or her film.

“We had nearly 95 percent of the directors or someone significant who was either in or related to the documentary, sometimes both, on hand to discuss their work with selected moderators,” Sitney said. “Then, we opened the floor for questions. That’s when things really got interesting.” 

Sitney said changing algorithms and other trends in society have made it more difficult to access and explore the kinds of documentaries that were showcased this year. 

“There was no overarching theme under which this year’s documentaries fell,” Sitney said. “But I believe each film provided an opportunity for viewers to be exposed to things, to issues, to people, that they may have known very little about – stories they may not have known they were missing out on at all until seeing the documentaries we presented.” 

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