POV Shorts, the award-winning nonfiction shorts film series curated by POV, returns today for its 8th season with bold new films from visionary independent filmmakers. This year’s lineup explores themes of cultural identity, climate change, resilience, intergenerational storytelling, music, and belonging.
"What’s important to me as an artist is to leave people with that feeling of not only wanting more but also wanting to go see the show because it’s a three-hour epic long orchestra performance that is truly amazing to see in person. We hope we’ve encapsulated it in a way that people will feel and believe this is something that needs to be supported, and also be an inspiration for how people think about celebrating Juneteenth. Going into a documentary early on, we didn’t know what we had exactly — all we knew was that we felt there was something really exciting and rich and profound happening, and we wanted to capture it. Aunties and grandmas are a great place to start for archival footage because they always want to show off. For me as an artist, I’m drawn towards projects that are rooted in love. When I’m directing a play or a film, I’m always trying to find the love that ties the people here, that inspire us to sing, dance or do whatever. And then when [Rev. Dr. Leslie Braxton's grandmother] was gone, we knew we wanted to pay tribute to her. The grandmother’s spirit was the foundation. That’s the love that drove all of this from my standpoint.” (Justin Emeka)
Over her 40-year teaching career, Juana has remained unwavering in her commitment to her students. While she’s led many school orchestras, this one is different. The majority of her students come from undocumented immigrant families from Central and South America, who have made new homes along Buford Highway — one of the South’s most diverse corridors. For many, this is their only chance at music education.
LA ORQUESTA follows Juana, a determined teacher and activist, and her orchestra through one school year. Using cinéma vérité, intimate interviews, and personal archival footage, the film tells the story of a community coming together to offer children opportunities that should be available to all, even as they face health, financial challenges, and growing hostility toward immigrants. LA ORQUESTA offers a fresh perspective on the immigrant experience, one that celebrates art, beauty, and the transformative power of music.
"Witnessing the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program was nothing short of extraordinary. As a filmmaker, you often find yourself in moments where the energy in the room is so charged, so palpable, that you wonder if that very energy can be captured, if it can be conveyed through the lens of a camera and shared with those who will experience it from a distance. This was one of those moments. The chemistry between the incarcerated and free students was unmistakable, and it was my great privilege to help shape that footage and translate the profound power of their interaction into something meaningful for a broader audience.
When we set out to capture this experience we weren’t sure whether it would become a documentary. What mattered was the act of documenting these people coming together—learning, challenging one another, and growing together. But as we filmed, something shifted. The enthusiasm from the students, their desire for the footage to be shaped into a film, and the undeniable power of their collective story made it clear: this was more than just a class. It was a story that not only deserved to be told, it needed to be told; a story that could resonate far beyond the walls of that classroom. " (Eden Wurmfeld)
Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation, Reva & David Logan Foundation, Open Society Foundations and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional funding comes from Nancy Blachman and David desJardins, Bertha Foundation, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Charitable Trust, Park Foundation, Sage Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Chris and Nancy Plaut, Abby Pucker, Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee and public television viewers. POV is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including KQED San Francisco, WGBH Boston and THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.
