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Speakeasy Conversations

Panelists: Julie Goldman, Gentry Kirby, Leah Smith, and Moderator Rebekah Fergusson at a Speakeasy Conversation

    Speakeasy Conversations, a signature panel series at the annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, gathers filmmakers, industry voices, and audiences for relaxed dialogue on the questions and challenges driving the documentary field today.

    The series is free and open to the public. No tickets are required to attend.

    2026 Speakeasy Conversations

    Friday, April 17:

    Extremely Rich Theatre
    12:30 – 1:30 p.m., The Durham Hotel

    This conversation with Robert Greene, curator of the 2026 Thematic Program Extremely Rich Theater: Staging, Performance, and Elasticity in American Nonfiction Film will expand on the ideas behind his selections for the program. How can staged scenes and constructed performances lead a viewer to recognize more deeply what is real and/or true?

    Panelist: Robert Greene (filmmaker and curator, Full Frame 2026 Thematic Program)

    Filmmaker vs Filmmaker: Only One Shall Survive
    3:30 – 4:30 p.m., The Durham Hotel

    Now that we have your attention, Full Frame veterans Jameka Autry and Amir Bar-Lev invite you to join them in resisting the documentary “Hunger Games” and cultivating unity and power in our community. Fashioned as more town hall than panel, together we will explore how to support each other in during these changing times in the documentary industry. Please bring your best filmmaking tips to share. There will be prizes.

    Panelists: Jameka Autry (Time and Water), Amir Bar-Lev (The Last First: Winter K2)

    Saturday, April 18:

    Shaping the Narrative: Critics, Culture, and the Power of the Press
    12:30 – 1:30 p.m., The Durham Hotel

    In this age of social media and digital culture, how does earned press coverage and criticism shape awareness around a documentary and serve to amplify its message or influence its awards trajectory? This panel explores the power of cultural conversation and the evolving role of editors and critics in advancing engagement with and recognition for documentary films.

    Panelists: Sam Adams (writer and senior editor, Slate), Katey Rich (awards editor, The Ankler), and Alissa Wilkinson (movie critic, The New York Times)

    Moderator: Jessica Edwards (filmmaker and distribution consultant)

    Searching for Truth: A Discussion with Dawn Porter
    Saturday, April 5, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

    Full Frame Tribute recipient Dawn Porter reflects on her illustrious career and the incredible individuals she has captured in her films. This one-on-one conversation will explore her experience documenting the American judicial system, how her interview process unfolds in real time, and the myriad ways she approaches archival footage and translating history for the screen.

    Panelist: Dawn Porter (When a Witness Recants)

    Moderator: Sadie Tillery (Festival co-director and artistic director, Full Frame)

     

    Yance Ford and Eric Hynes speak at a Speakeasy Cobversation in 2025

    The Speakeasy Archive

    A wide array of topics related to documentary film and filmmaking have been tackled since the program’s inception. To watch and learn more about previous conversations, please visit the Speakeasy Conversations Archive.