The Public Investment Renaissance: A New Vision for Publicly Supported Documentary Film

With federal disinvestment pushing the documentary field into crisis, the industry is being forced to rethink its future. Filmmakers, public media institutions, and independent producers are asking fundamental questions about how documentary storytelling can be sustained in this new ecosystem. This year’s Sundance lineup underscores the stakes, with several films backed by public television, including One in a Million by FRONTLINE, and four ITVS-supported titles (Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild], American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez, Jaripeo, TheyDream) that show what is possible when public investment meets independent vision.

Disruption can also be an opportunity to reimagine. This conversation will explore what stronger, more equitable public support could look like at local and state levels, and how independent and publicly funded media can thrive together. Rather than focusing on survival alone, the panel will examine organizing, policy, and infrastructure, and how documentaries can function as a public good essential to democracy and community.

Moderator: Jax Deluca, Interim Director, Future Film Coalition, Harvard Shorenstein Fellow ’25-26

Speakers:

• Paula Smith Arrigoni, Executive Director, BAVC Media
• Carrie Lozano, President & CEO, ITVS
• Erika Dilday, Executive Director, American Documentary and EP, POV & America ReFramed
• Maya Chupkov, Media & Democracy Program Manager, Common Cause CA