We are thrilled to introduce the five brilliant filmmakers who have been chosen for the 2024/25 DVID Fellowship!
amaranta, director of We Are Seeds, is a first-generation Mexican-American writer and filmmaker based in metro Detroit. WE ARE SEEDS: After returning to her hometown of Dearborn in 2021, Zaza reconnects with her Arab American community, envisioning a city safe from the pollution from nearby automotive factories. She works at the Arab American National Museum, collecting oral histories from the diaspora, and engaging community members in ancestral planting practices. When the genocide in Palestine escalates in 2023, Zaza chooses to redirect her organizing energy towards the Intifada resistance in metro Detroit, grappling with the grief, hope, and guilt that comes with organizing from a diaspora outside of her homeland.
Mariam Atallah, director of Breaking Salt, is a Chicago-based filmmaker with deep roots in Cairo, Egypt, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in photography and filmmaking. Inspired by the rhythm and complexity of everyday life, she blends authentic experiences with nuanced narratives to explore how global and local forces shape personal stories. BREAKING SALT: Breaking Salt is an intimate exploration of labor, identity, and global interdependence, told through the lives of salt workers in Siwa, Egypt, and their connection to snow-covered streets in Chicago. At its heart, the film juxtaposes two working-class worlds, uncovering the unique rhythms and challenges of labor across distant landscapes.
Cherrelle Swain, director of Ancestral Healing, is a film producer, creative strategist, and creator of Terra Rossa, a community-centered production company focused on social justice based in Washington DC. Bringing a unique perspective to storytelling, Cherrelle is passionate about uplifting narratives of ancestry, identity, and healing. ANCESTRAL HEALING: Ancestral Healing explores the life of Anna Belle Rideaux, a socialite, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who catalyzed opportunity for residents of St. Paul’s historic Rondo Community. The film interrogates how losing a matriarch and community impacts her descendants and Rondo. What was gained from this loss, what has possibly vanished forever, and what will the community strive to reclaim?
Obed Lamy, director of Untitled Hatian Immigrants in Springfield, is a documentary filmmaker and video journalist based in Chicago. Born and raised in Haiti, Obed cultivated his passion for storytelling from his mother, who spent her evenings telling the vivid stories of her childhood during the dictatorship. His work explores collective memory and questions “silences into historical narratives,” bridging the gap between past and present. UNTITLED HAITIAN MIGRANTS IN SPRINGFIELD: Untitled: Haitians in Springfield is verité documentary that captures the raw, lived experiences of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, as they confront a wave of xenophobia ignited by divisive political rhetoric during the 2024 presidential election season. Through the eyes of Jacob Payen—a charismatic community leader, former military serviceman, and advocate—we are taken deep into the heart of a community facing rising fear and uncertainty, fueled by former President Donald Trump’s incendiary and baseless accusations about Haitian immigrants eating cats and dogs.
Myron Miller, director of Doors Off, is an emerging filmmaker from the South Side of Chicago, whose creative journey started at the age of 17 through Chicago’s After School Matters video production program. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Arts, Entertainment and Media Management from Columbia College Chicago in 2012 and subsequently joined Americorps City Year as a mentor for at-risk youth in Chicago Public Schools. In 2020, Myron completed his Master’s Degree in Media Ventures from Boston University’s College of Communication—here he studied startup development, storytelling for virtual reality, and began his film career in production at HBO. DOORS OFF: Doors Off is an observational documentary that follows the lives of members of the Chi Wrangler Crew (CWC), an all-Black American car club, led by educators and mental health specialists. CWC was founded in the midst of the pandemic. This community emerged as a beacon of hope in Chicago after the pandemic—although their efforts are overshadowed by the city’s violence and news reports condemning car club meetups. Fighting back against Chicago’s history of turbulence, the CWC seek safety, solace, and a sense of belonging through their beloved Jeep Wranglers.
The DVID fellows will receive hands-on support from experienced Kartemquin and Community Film Workshop staff, award-winning filmmakers, and invited experts before pitching to a panel of major funders, which in previous years has included representatives from ITVS, Sundance Institute, Doc Society, POV, Black Public Media, and WTTW Channel 11. The program culminates with a graduation showcasing the fellows’ work and featuring a keynote speaker.
Founded in 2013 by Gordon Quinn and Margaret Caples of Community Film Workshop of Chicago, the Diverse Voices in Docs (DVID) Fellowship supports emerging filmmakers who identify as Black, Indigenous, or another person of color in the Midwest. The program is rooted in the ideals of a collaborative community and welcomes filmmakers who are committed to unflinching documentary filmmaking rooted in social justice.