The Decatur Short Docs Festival showcases short documentaries about people and places in our community and the South and is presented by The Georgia Center for the Book as part of this year’s Decatur Arts Festival.
The first three nights of the series – May 1-3 – will showcase locally produced short films centered around arts and social justice. The final event on Friday, May 6 will coincide with ArtWalk and feature the New York Times bestselling author, Dhonielle Clayton, as she presents her new middle-grade fantasy adventure in conversation with Angie Thomas and Nic Stone.
Reserve free tickets for each event through Eventbrite. Scroll below for links for each event.
May 1 • 7-9 pm
“Common Good Atlanta: Breaking Down the Walls of Mass Incarceration”
First Baptist Church Decatur, Carreker Hall • 308 Clairemont Ave, Decatur, GA 30030
In 2008, Sarah Higinbotham, a Ph.D. student at Georgia State University, wanted to teach a literature class in a Georgia prison. But she soon discovered that no college programs existed in Georgia prisons at the time. So, she started one.
Fourteen years later, an all-volunteer group of over 70 faculty from six universities have reached over 700 incarcerated students in four prisons, plus a downtown course for prison-impacted people.
At the heart of the program’s mission is that broad, democratic access to higher education for people affected by incarceration strengthens the common good of our communities.
The tireless efforts of Sarah Higinbotham, now teaching literature at Emory University’s Oxford College, along with the program’s co-founder Bill Taft, show how the liberal arts can connect people across all the barriers that divide us.
“Common Good Atlanta: Breaking Down the Walls of Mass Incarceration” looks at the evolution and impact of the program on both students and instructors. Incarcerated students find an intellectual freedom that encourages growth and dignity, while instructors find a stimulating and transformative environment for the liberal arts.
After the film, a talkback will include program organizers Sarah Higinbotham and Bill Taft, as well as alumni.
May 2 • 7-9 pm
ARTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE
First Baptist Church Decatur, Carreker Hall • 308 Clairemont Ave, Decatur, GA 30030
Featured Shorts Docs include: “Freeman Vines: Hanging Tree Guitars”, “Meltdown in Dixie”, and “Sound Of Judgement”. After the screening, a talkback will feature Will Bryan.
May 3 • 7-9 pm
ARTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE
First Baptist Church Decatur, Carreker Hall • 308 Clairemont Ave, Decatur, GA 30030
Featured Shorts Docs include: “The Environmental Justice Movement in Atlanta’s Westside [excerpt]”, “Finding the Flint”, “Michael Murrell: Art”, “Nature and Catawampus”, “The Old Man’s Game”, and “River Rats and Junior Leaguers: The Story Behind the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area”.
After the screening, a talkback will feature Michael Murrell, Hannah Palmer, and Hal Jacobs.
Friday, May 6 • 6-7:30 pm
“The Marvellers”
Dhonielle Clayton in conversation with Angie Thomas and Nic Stone, Presented in collaboration with Brave + Kind Books
Decatur High School Amphitheater • 310 North McDonough Street, Decatur, 30030
NYT Bestselling Author Dhonielle Clayton presents her new middle-grade fantasy adventure in conversation with Angie Thomas and Nic Stone.