Click here for a list of all Longleaf 2021 Official Selection films.
Click here to see a list of virtual events held for Longleaf 2021.
Click here for a list of Longleaf 2021 award winners.
Click here to see which films were “screened” as part of our
One Last (Virtual) Viewing Event.
Check out recorded programs and events for Longleaf 2021!
For us, as for everyone, 2020 was—and 2021 continues to be—tumultuous. It is hard to remember how, in March 2020 as we entered lockdown, we thought that we might be heading back to school, returning to work, hanging out with friends, and watching movies in just a matter of weeks. As the days passed, we began to recognize that the pandemic was going to be a longer-term event, and we pivoted Longleaf 2020 to a virtual program; at the time, it was one of the first in-person–to–virtual-event exchanges in our area.
A year later, we had to reckon with another decision, even as we begin to see the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel and the beginning of a return to new normals. Sadly, the go/no-go decision for an in-person gathering in May required a decision in March, and our home base, the North Carolina Museum of History, remained under safety precautions that precluded us from gathering in-person for Longleaf again this year. We could not know in March what regulations would be in place in May, but Longleaf 2021 had to be a virtual event, our second virtual festival. We sure missed gathering in-person (not to mention munching on popcorn together), but we believe the work of the team here and the participation of filmmakers and film fans, across the state and beyond, helped maintain and grow the community we’ve been building for seven years. We appreciate your continued understanding and participation—in fact, your perseverance, as you made films in careful and creative conditions—as we continue to honor the best of independent film with North Carolina connections.
Longleaf 2021 actually began in October 2020, with a moving and insightful virtual program, FilmExchange, that spoke to conversations on race and community, as well as the art and artistry of the Black experience in North Carolina—and beyond. Our thanks to former Longleaf Official Selection filmmakers who shared their work and insights during that special program.
Online festival programs started with the announcement of our 67 juried Official Selection films (scroll to see list) on Friday, April 9.
Watch (above) as Sally Bloom announces this year’s Longleaf Official Selection films, or
view a list that contains additional information.
Watch (above) as Raleigh news anchor Bill Young, CBS17-News, announces this year’s Longleaf award winners, or view a list of the winning films.
The virtual festival continued on April 30 with the announcement of this year’s award-winning films in a live-stream program. Then, over our festival dates of May 14–15, we presented—thanks to the generosity of those filmmakers—dozens of our Official Selection films for free online viewing: a total of 59 films, including 17 premieres. In addition, on Saturday, Longleaf hosted two virtual workshops this year, and a live Q&A session with many Longleaf filmmakers! In all, these virtual programs—a morning panel, Black Lives in the Carolinas, 1938–1978; an afternoon workshop, Legal Basics for Indie Filmmakers; and a live Zoom Q&A session in the evening—were watched, attended, or viewed by 675 people over the weekend.
Speaking of impressive statistics, over the festival’s two days, the Longleaf website garnered about 2,500 individual hits, from folks across the US and in 14 other countries! And, social media traffic during the time around the festival was strong, as well, with 14,425 people reached via Facebook; 902 profile visits and 32K impressions on Twitter; and a reach of about 1,000 on Instagram, with 1,200 interactions.
New for this year—we’re making the May 15 programs available for future viewing; you can watch them here!
It is our hope that we can continue to engage the public, making them aware of the long history and ongoing work of North Carolina–related indie filmmakers whose stories create connections that resonate and are a large part of our state’s creative economy. Why? Because we truly believe that making films is making history.
Click here for a list of all Longleaf 2021 Official Selection films.
Click here to see a list of virtual events held for Longleaf 2021.
Click here for a list of Longleaf 2021 award winners.
Click here to see which films were “screened” as part of our
One Last (Virtual) Viewing Event.
Donations are appreciated and will support Longleaf 2022!
Thank you for your support!