Southern Exposure Film Fellowship

26/06/2025

Kyle Lybarger built a loyal following online by talking about native plants and why biodiversity matters.

04/06/2025

We are so proud to announce the selection of the 2025 class of Southern Exposure film fellows for the 2025 Southern Exposure Film Fellowship, kicking off this month! During this innovative six-week summer program, these four talented documentary filmmakers create short documentaries telling powerful stories about Alabama’s special people and places.

MEET THE 2025 SOUTHERN EXPOSURE FILMMAKERS:

Maya Estrera is a recent graduate from Swarthmore College with a degree in Film & Media Studies and Environmental Studies. Her most recent project, “Ignited”, incorporates multi-media cinematography to depict q***r existence in nature and was an official select at the Tri-Co Film Festival. She is excited for her two areas of interest to collaborate more in this fellowship and explore the power of film for social and environmental change. Working for a Philly-based freelance photographer, Maya helps to film and photograph events across the city. She has made an assortment of videos, ranging from promotional videos for dance groups to nightclubs to artists. In her free time, she enjoys film photography and being outdoors.

Lily Huffman is a documentary filmmaker and science communicator passionate about capturing the stories of resilience, ingenuity, and hope in the realm of environmental conservation. Lily started her career in science communication after receiving a BS in Conservation Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Master of Environmental Management in Coastal Environmental Management from Duke University. However, her passion for visual storytelling led her to pursue a MA in Film and Media Production at American University, which she completed last summer. She is passionate about stories focused on environmental, conservation, and sustainability issues that impact communities and resource users, and how those communities are tackling the problems before them to move toward a sustainable future. Through her combination of education and passion, she hopes to bring a unique voice to conservation storytelling to promote community-based action.

Nicholas Hess is an award winning wildlife photographer and emerging conservation storyteller and filmmaker specializing in reptiles, amphibians, and the underwater world. His passion for photography and conservation began in 2011 in Southern California where he learned to take photos of snakes and tidepool creatures. He earned a B.S. in Marine Science at Eckerd College in 2025 with minors in Film, Journalism, and Spanish. In alignment with his interdisciplinary education he strives to tell conservation stories through mediums of film, photography, and writing, to speak for the misunderstood, undervalued, and poorly-known species in nature. His studies and work has taken him across Latin America, the South Pacific, Australia, and Southeast Asia in pursuit of revealing the beauty of the weird and wonderful. Now, he seeks opportunities to highlight the challenges of conservation, and celebrate wins, species, places, and people.

Patrick Kirby is a passionate filmmaker who finds inspiration in both family life and the natural world around him. With an M.A. in Film and Media Arts from American University, Patrick crafts visual narratives that connect with audiences on a deeply human level. Whether he’s exploring environmental issues, translating complex science, or documenting the experiences of veterans, Patrick is always looking for the people behind the story. He believes the heart of every project lies in the individuals at its center and he uses his skills to help them tell their stories with authenticity and impact.

His filmmaking journey has taken him across diverse landscapes and important causes, creating environmental stories for the National Park Service, making science accessible for the Environmental Protection Agency, and capturing veterans’ voices at the VA, and highlighting Soldier Stories with the Army both stateside and deployed.

Drawing from his own background as a veteran, Patrick brings a unique perspective and a deep respect for the people he documents. He’s particularly passionate about using documentary film to explore the relationship between people and their environment, finding the emotional core that resonates with viewers and inspires connection and change.

And, joining us this year as our Poet and Film Fellow is Erika E. Wade, a poet, writer, producer, and actor from Birmingham. She has been a dynamic force in the entertainment industry, championing diversity. She made her debut as a teenager with the publication of her poetry book “eyestodewhurld.” Erika earned an MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2016 and was a semi-finalist at The Kennedy Center MFA Playwrights Workshop. She is a Southeast EMMY award-winning voice actress and was selected for the inaugural Rideback Rise “The Circle” Cohort, aimed at bridging Hollywood’s equity gap.

Learn more about Southern Exposure and the films they will be working on at the l i n k below!

17/04/2025

We are heartbroken to share the tragic news that Sebastian Rogers, a Southern Exposure Film Fellow from 2013, died earlier this month. Sebastian was not only an extraordinarily gifted cinematographer and documentary filmmaker, but also a truly beautiful soul. His kindness, generosity, and creative brilliance touched everyone who had the privilege to work with him.

Sebastian created "Forever Wild", a beautiful tribute to Alabama’s natural beauty and heritage, and an inspiring story of what is possible with public support. We invite you to watch his film here: https://www.southernexposurefilms.org/films/forever-wild

We are holding his family, friends, and all who loved him in our hearts.

The Forever Wild Land Trust Program created state-owned Nature Preserves and Recreation areas after Alabama voters approved a constitutional amendment establishing the program in 1992, making it the most successful conservation ballot measure in the history of the United States. Here is the inspirin...

14/04/2025

Join University of Montevallo Environmental Club, Alabama Rivers Alliance and Cahaba Riverkeeper for the FREE public screening of the Southern Exposure Films! Don't miss this eagerly awaited night of storytelling that will inspire, ignite and unite us all in the fight for Alabama's future!

Created in six weeks during the summer, the Southern Exposure films celebrate special people and places in Alabama while exploring complex issues and solutions. In this collection, we uncover the hidden and costly dangers of 'forever chemicals' in our rivers and drinking water sources following Riverkeepers as they strive to protect communities—and themselves—from PFAS contamination. We dive underwater to discover a “whole ‘nother living world under there in the seagrass that nobody ever sees”, full of critters and life and we learn what must happen to protect this submerged aquatic vegetation vital to the health of Mobile Bay and the communities and industries that rely on it.. We travel across Alabama rediscovering our native plants, meeting passionate plant people along the way who are making changes big and small in hopes of preserving the last vestiges of once vast ecosystems and Alabama’s unprecedented botanical biodiversity.. Finally, we meet and celebrate three Alabama women who, out of necessity to protect the people and places they love, answered the call to advocate for their water, land and communities.

Tuesday, April 15
Doors open at 6 with Mix & Mingling
Films start at 6:30 pm
Q&A + Discussion After with Alabama Rivers Alliance and Cahaba Riverkeeper

26/02/2025

We love when our films are shared all across the state! The Lurleen B. Wallace Community College's Forestry & Wildlife Sciences division hosted a screening of the Southern Exposure Film INTO THE BLACK with 200 students from across the area. What a fantastic turn out! If you're interested in sharing any of the films with your community group or towns, let us know! Alabama Rivers Alliance

05/02/2025

We had a record-breaking crowd of 130+ last night in Mobile for the screening of the new Southern Exposure Films! Thank you to Sierra Club, Alabama Chapter for hosting us once again at the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center to share these films with an incredible community of people who live downstream from nearly all Alabama's rivers and streams. They understand better than anyone the need to defend our rivers!

Thank you to Alabama Rivers Alliance, We Matter Eight Mile Community Association and Mobile Baykeeper for being a part of the great discussion after the films!

We'll be bringing the films to Mentone, Montevallo, Auburn/Opelika, Huntsville and Troy/Elba soon - stay tuned!

16/01/2025

CALLING ALL FILMMAKERS! Applications open now for a unique and exciting fellowship in Alabama!

Now in its 13th year, the Southern Exposure Film Fellowship program provides a challenging learning experience to exceptional film students and early career filmmakers from across the country seeking to explore and develop their talent as environmental advocates through nonfiction storytelling. This innovative summer fellowship equips filmmakers with the skills, equipment, content knowledge and contacts to create authentic, engaging, inspiring films intended to raise public awareness about important issues facing Alabama’s environment — from the mountains to the coast.
Learn more and apply here: https://alabamarivers.org/se2025

Please be advised that LiteSpeed Technologies Inc. is not a web hosting company and, as such, has no control over content found on this site.

04/12/2024

Applications for the 2025 Southern Exposure Film Fellowship are now open!

Now in its 13th year, the Southern Exposure Film Fellowship program provides a challenging learning experience to exceptional film students and emerging filmmakers from across the country seeking to explore and develop their talent as environmental advocates through nonfiction storytelling. This innovative summer fellowship equips students with the skills, equipment, content knowledge and contacts to create authentic, engaging, inspiring films intended to raise public awareness about important issues facing Alabama’s environment — from the mountains to the coast.

Learn more and apply here: https://alabamarivers.org/se2025

Please be advised that LiteSpeed Technologies Inc. is not a web hosting company and, as such, has no control over content found on this site.

10/10/2024

25/09/2024

Want to learn more about the environment? Check out these series of films that will be showcased for FREE later this month. JD