Reel history: A film festival in historic Selma

By Carey Fountain, Director of Programs and Partnerships, Foot Soldiers Park

This past weekend in Selma felt like history unfolding all over again—but this time, through the lens of a projector, the voices of filmmakers from around the world, and the energy of a community hungry for healing, art and new perspectives.

The event was transformative! For Selma. For Selma’s youth. For every guest who walked through the doors of the Walton Theater. And for me.

It was an honor to host filmmakers and creatives from every corner of the U.S. and the globe, with over 200 film submissions. This event was about more than just showcasing great art—it was about placing Selma at the center of storytelling once again. Our aim was to create space for the kinds of stories that challenge conventions, uplift, and connect us—and that’s exactly what happened.

Many of the attendees had never stepped foot in a movie theater before, including some of the young people who came with their schools. One student shared after a screening, “Even though [in the film] they had financial problems, they still pushed forward and followed their dreams. That really spoke to me.” That’s the power of cinema—to inspire, encourage and give people a chance to reflect or see themselves in the stories of others in real time.

Pamela Davis Noland, whose short film Room for Dessert won Best U.S. Short, delivered a story that stuck to our ribs in every way possible. Originally written as a stage play in 2015, it was born out of grief and resistance during a time of heightened racial violence. Her film, she told us, was about “what happens when justice is no longer enough.” In her words:

“This is our contribution to that foot soldier fight. My husband and I were both born in 1965, right when all the things in Selma were going on. Sixty years later, we’re still fighting. This is how we fight—with our stories.”

We were all moved, and I’m still thinking about her film.

Judge Jimmy Nunn, our county’s probate judge and a long-standing public servant, reminded us how film can serve as a bridge between generations:

“There’s so much that you can learn from films… especially for our children. Most of them weren’t born in the ’50s or ’60s. If they don’t read it in a book or hear it from someone, how else will they know? This festival helps make history real—and part of the educational process.”

That’s why at Foot Soldiers Park, we put youth at the heart of everything we do including this festival. On Saturday April 5, we held our Student Film Showcase featuring young filmmakers’ work hailing from Alabama to Appalachia:

• Foot Soldiers Park’s Youth Advisory Board in collaboration with Troy University film professor Will Jacks and his students
• Best Buy Teen Tech Center at Wallace Community College in Selma
• Appalshop, a media, arts, and education center for students aged 14-24, located in Whitesburg, Kentucky in the southern Appalachian region

These were stories shaped by young voices, rooted in local experience and global possibility. Seeing their films on the big screen before an audience? That’s the kind of moment that can transform and stick with young talent—for a lifetime.

It was a privilege to work alongside the festival’s jury, including:

• B.K. Fulton, producer
• Omar Turner, CEO of Binns Media Group
• Katie Fernandez, ESPN Senior Director
• Loki Mulholland, filmmaker, Foot Soldiers Park Board member and descendant of a foot soldier
• Toni Toney, Alabama educator artist
• Donovan Duncan, Executive Vice President of Urban Strategies, Inc. and Foot Soldiers Park Board chair

It was exciting to see the festival receive attention beyond Selma. Actress Whoopi Goldberg sent us words of encouragement and support through her good friend Juror Fulton.

“Keep going,” Ms. Goldberg said. “Art can heal!”

Juror Mulholland summed up the power of this festival beautifully:

“Film moves people’s hearts. It tells the stories that some are trying to erase. That’s why festivals like this matter—especially in a place like Selma.”

And finally, for many of us who live and work here, this festival wasn’t just about watching movies—it was about making space for the next chapter of Selma’s story.

In many ways, it felt like giving birth. Painful. Emotional. Yet profoundly beautiful. What came out of that process was giving life to something new—something we can grow together. And now, our charge is to nurture the seeds we planted.

Thank you to every volunteer, partner, juror, filmmaker, funder, student, and dreamer who helped make this festival a success. Selma needed this and we are grateful for your commitment and energy.

Until next year—and every month in between.

With love and respect,
Carey Fountain