How Can Short Docs Make a Big Difference?

from Zócalo Public Square · host Zócalo Public Square

Documentary film can bear witness, challenge assumptions, and give voice to communities too often unheard. Where Hollywood and fictional films often rely on stereotypes and reductive plotlines, documentaries can close the representation gap. When the right teams make, distribute, and platform documentary films, they not only capture the world, but can change it. By centering complex realities, can docs shift hearts and minds? Where do the inspiration and funding for “for-us-by-us” stories come from? And how do documentaries and the teams responsible for distributing them move people from witnessing to taking action? PBS SoCal producer Angela Boisvert, Film Independent director of artistic development and head of non-fiction storytelling lab Angela C. Lee, and social impact strategist Gretel Truong come together to discuss the power of the screen, collaborative storytelling—and what it takes to make films that make a difference. This program featured a screening of 5 short films produced by Girls' Voices Now in 2025 and 2026. To watch the full program video including the short films and filmmaker Q&A, visit Zócalo's website or Youtube. This program was co-presented by Zócalo Public Square, Women’s Voices Now, Women in Film, Borderlands Cinematic Arts, and the Sidney Poitier New American Film School at ASU Timestamps: 00:00 - Introductions 03:50 - Panel: Cristina Ibarra, Angela Boisvert, Angela C. Lee, Gretel Truong Watch the full program on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGy5xIUKFL8