My favorite part of Southern Exposure was meeting so many amazing people. I had a lot of fun making my film and traveling to some of the many beautiful areas of Alabama. I love what Southern Exposure represents and was honored to be a part of it!
—Mindy Keeley, 2014 Fellow
Having the chance to explore Alabama's natural landscapes, the mentorship and peer-critique process within a diverse group of filmmakers, and the networking opportunities the process brought with it gave me such a positive experience with a group of peers whose friendship and work I truly value.
—Rhonda Chan Soo, 2013 Fellow
Southern Exposure was an amazing experience – learning about the pressures on the environment, being embraced by Alabama's community of environmental advocates, soaking in beautiful natural treasures, spending a summer with a talented group of filmmakers – I couldn't recommend it more.
—Emily Fraser, 2013 Fellow
They made it really easy for us to fall in love with Alabama, especially as first timers. I think they also made it really easy for us to become concerned about this beautiful place because they opened our eyes to a very diverse range of pressing environmental needs here.
—Liza Slutskaya, 2016 Fellow and 2018-19 Program Coordinator
My experience in Alabama in 2014 had a profound impact on me as a filmmaker, but more importantly I linked up with a great posse of friends and collaborators.
—Chris Jones, 2014 Fellow
River and stream protection
Water planning
Wetlands protection
Category: Water planning
Zoe Gieringer
Zoe Gieringer is a Portland-based filmmaker with an interest in documentaries that raise awareness of social and environmental issues. Her short documentary on gentrification in Berlin, "Make It Trendy," premiered at the Rheinische Landes Museum in Bonn and was later shown at the OpenEyes Film Festival in Marburg. Zoe received a BA in Film and Television Production from Loyola Marymount University in 2014.
Learn more about this fellow and watch the film.
The Southern Exposure Film Fellowship seeks the best and brightest emerging documentary filmmakers committed to protecting our natural resources, improving human health and achieving environmental justice through film, journalism and collective action.
The six week summer fellowship provides a positive and challenging learning experience to exceptional film students and emerging filmmakers seeking to explore and develop their own voices as environmental advocates through nonfiction storytelling. Fellows will gain the skills, equipment, content knowledge and contacts to create authentic, engaging films intended to raise public awareness about important issues facing Alabama's environment.
Although fellows are not required to have backgrounds that would necessarily lead to careers in filmmaking, applicants with experience in filmmaking or media-related fields will receive priority in the selection process. Applicants must have a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, as this fellowship is a highly interactive, interpersonal experience.
Questions? Contact Kelly Marshall at kmarshall (at) alabamarivers.org
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