Boone Docs Film Festival turns 5!

February 2, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Beth Davison | davisonb@appstate.edu
Jason Deathridge | jdeathridge@apptheatre.org
Anne Ward | wardac@appstate.edu

Boone Docs Film Festival turns 5!
The fifth annual Boone Docs Film Festival returns to the Appalachian Theatre on Feb. 27 & Feb. 28

BOONE, N.C. – The fifth annual Boone Docs Film Festival, a showcase for short documentaries celebrating the people who live and work in Appalachia, returns in late February to the Appalachian Theatre in Boone, North Carolina. The 2026 Boone Docs Film Festival includes five events across two days – Feb. 27 and Feb. 28.

All festival events will take place at the Appalachian Theatre, 559 W. King Street in Boone, North Carolina. Additionally, each of the film screenings will include discussions with participants in the films and/or the filmmakers.

"We are proud and happy to see the growth of Boone Docs over these last five years," said Krystal Carter, Boone Docs organizer and an Appalachian Studies scholar.

"We have a great lineup of films this year and have added two new blocks to the program, one focused on documentaries about how western North Carolina responded to the devastation brought by Hurricane Helene, and a block devoted to films produced by student filmmakers," said Beth Davison, Boone Docs organizer, documentary filmmaker and Appalachian State professor. "That's in addition to our featured block of documentaries about the Appalachian region."

"Stories this year cover a range of topics – from recovering from Helene, to the work of Appalachian businesses, to the importance of cornbread – and other fascinating subjects," said Tom Hansell, Boone Docs organizer, documentary filmmaker and Appalachian State professor.

Here's the schedule for the two-day event:

FRIDAY Feb. 27
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. – workshop on documentary filmmaking with filmmaker James Mottern, director of the acclaimed documentary "Beast Touch The Mountain."

6:00 p.m. – 8 p.m. – Invited Film Screening: Boone Docs and High Country Humanities present "A Beast Touch the Mountain," a documentary about a group of Appalachian women in Bent Mountain, Virginia and their decade-long fight to protect their land and way of life against a natural gas pipeline corporation that threatens the environment and the lives of tens of thousands throughout Virginia and West Virginia. A panel discussion will follow the film.

SATURDAY Feb. 28
11 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – After Helene – documentaries about Hurricane Helene and its impact on the people in the region. A Q&A with the filmmakers will follow this screening. Films in this block include:

Helene: A Disaster Seen from Above – directed by Jordan Nelson. Hurricane Helene left a trail of devastation across the Appalachian region — this exclusive drone footage reveals the destruction, resilience, and recovery from above. This film offers a rare aerial perspective of communities struggling in the aftermath—moments of destruction, resilience, and recovery seen from above.
Hell in a Climate Haven – directed by Thomas Comick and Amelia Waldeck. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, people face the myth of safety in the mountains of North Carolina.
Songs of the Storm – directed by Aaron Stone, Caroline Aylward. This documentary follows two Western North Carolina creators in the wake of Hurricane Helene: Sarah Elizabeth Burkey, an Appalachian ballad singer who draws her healing inspiration from the natural world, and Doug Carr, a visual artist and musician transforming trauma into powerful electronic sound. Told in two chapters, each shaped by the rhythm of a song, their stories culminate in performances that reflect resilience, loss, and renewal.
Adrift: Forgiving the Flood – directed by Aayas Joshi. Blair Belt-Clark always dreamt of raising her twins in the "earth magic" of Appalachia. When Hurricane Helene hurled the Cane River over its banks that run through her backyard in Burnsville, N.C., it swept away her hand-built tiny house, and with it, the future she'd imagined for her family. This documentary film explores Blair's journey of healing and forgiving the water she once trusted as home.
Appalachian Understory – directed by Katherine Gunning. The legacy of southern Appalachia is many things all at once: grief, anger, pride, resilience, and rootedness all co-mingle at its core. In Appalachian Understory, Amanda, the subject of this film, is a gentle guide and witness to the relentless hope woven throughout this tangled history.
A Long Way Down: The Story of the Surge – directed by Robert Kinlaw. After Hurricane Helene devastates their community, a group of high school playmakers produce a play inspired by the storm, bringing their harrowing experiences to a national audience.

2 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Emerging Filmmakers: showcasing documentaries by student filmmakers. A Q&A with the filmmakers will follow this screening.

Nora: A Craft Story – directed by Sean Hall and Evelyn Medley. A short film about art and heritage.
In Kind – directed by Katherine Gunning. In the Appalachian hills of Ashe County, a queer-led farm cultivates community and soil, showing us what good humans can be.
Neighbor Helping Neighbor – directed by Jon Henry Phares, with support from Ben Hanley and Shawn Shadley. Short documentary about the local Cove Creek volunteer Fire Department.
The Memory of Cornbread – directed by Willow Brooke Lawson. Cornbread has fueled Southerners for generations—but in the mountains of North Carolina, it's more than a remedy for hunger. Here, cornbread feeds the Southern soul. It's a link to memory, identity, and tradition—a way of remembering where you come from and who you are.
The Crop and Trade – directed by Isabelle Raye Smeltzer and Colby Suchla. This is a documentary about Boone's local co-op and what they bring to the high country community. It also highlights the unique way in which the co-op runs and functions.
Beyond the Table – directed by Arianna Bennett. This film provides insight into the operations of Boone's F.A.R.M Café, a pay-what-you-can restaurant, helping to feed all in the High Country regardless of means.
Afrissippi – directed by Peter Muvunyi. A Senegalese chef and musician's journey from Dakar to the U.S. unfolds through the rhythms of his music and flavors of his cuisine, revealing how food and art transcend borders to forge identity, belonging, and cultural connection.
Drag Me Home – directed by Deladis Haywood and Jessica Wright, produced by Tommy Anderson. Drag Me Home is a portrait of resilience, identity, and chosen family. Told through bold stories and bold voices, it captures the struggles and joys of finding belonging in places that don't always make space for difference. Honest, raw, and deeply human, the film asks what it means to carry home within yourself—and what it takes to create community against the odds.
Julian Price Memorial Park: An Overlooked Story – directed by Laci Broom. Through old archives and interviews with experts, this documentary pieces together the history of Julian Price Memorial Park and how it came to be a beloved stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway available to the public.
Whoosh – directed by Aaron Barlow. In the late 1970s, amid a national energy crisis, the world's largest wind turbine was built on Howard's Knob in Boone, North Carolina. This documentary chronicles the rise and fall of this groundbreaking project, exploring its impact on the local community, renewable energy innovation and the lessons that shaped the future of wind power.

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – A Celebration of Appalachia – showcasing short documentaries about the people who live and work in the Appalachian region. A Q&A with the filmmakers will follow this screening.

A Bottomless Reservoir of Joy – directed by Curren Sheldon. This film offers a portrait of the West Virginia nature illustrator Rosalie Haizlett.
Chester McMillian: Two Instruments in One – directed by Rebecca Branson Jones. In the foothills of North Carolina, a quiet elder named Chester devotes his days to playing old-time Appalachian string band music and helping those in need in his community. This short documentary follows Chester from the aisles of Aldi, where he buys groceries for the local backpack food program, to the porch and living rooms where he learned to play—and now teaches—the music of his youth.
How We Fight – directed by Dirk Wiley. During the first months of the Trump administration, retired national park ranger Carol Borneman showed her support for Cumberland Gap National Historical Park with ever larger rallies at the park visitor center. The protests grew, and along the way Carol also demonstrated the abiding love Americans have for their national parks, and how the public can fight for them.
Mountain Punk Arts – directed by Ethan Romaine. In rural Appalachia, some punks come together to re-establish a surprisingly familiar sense of community.
The Roof Over My Head – directed by Madison Buchanan. This film explores the hidden crisis of homelessness in Appalachia—where unstable housing often means living in cars, motels, or with friends. Led by filmmaker Madison Buchanan, who has lived this reality, the film amplifies voices too often overlooked, challenging misconceptions and fostering empathy.
Sheila – directed by Jack Flame Sorokin. "Sheila" is a lyrical portrait of Sheila Kay Adams, a lifelong resident of Madison County, North Carolina, and the matriarch of its centuries-old ballad singing tradition. Filmed in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, as the town of Marshall faces physical devastation, the film turns its attention not to the destruction, but to what remains—memory, culture, resilience, and the people who hold a community together.
Who Gives a Sh*t – directed by Hannah Rose Snyder. Residents of a popular, outdoor enthusiast, tourist town struggle to fund their failing sewer plant.
You are my Refuge: An Appalshort – directed by Aaron Asbury. From Rome's structured halls to the hills of Appalachia, Father Rob Adams finds himself shepherding one of Pikeville's most diverse congregations. In a place where family ties run deep, he speaks of welcome, sanctuary, and the unshakable belief that no person is illegal—defending a faith that, despite its flaws, still lets light shine through a stained and weathered glass.
The Mountains We Climb – directed by Cameron Wilson. "The Mountains We Climb" is a quiet, honest film about loss. It follows Karsten Delap, a world-class climber, as he navigates life after the death of his young daughter and what it means to keep moving when there's no clear way forward. Grounded by the climbing and rescue community that surrounds him, Karsten begins to find a way through.

"One of the best things about sharing these wonderful stories is hosting the screenings at Boone's historic Appalachian Theatre," said Anne Ward, Boone Docs organizer, documentary filmmaker and associate professor at Appalachian State. "It carries so much history within its walls, making it the perfect place to screen films about the beauty and resilience of the people who live and work in Appalachia."

"Though Boone Docs has grown significantly since it began five years ago, we are still an all-volunteer group of people who invest their time in curating this festival because we love Appalachia and take great pride in sharing these stories with the public," said Jason Deathridge, Boone Docs organizer and director of patron services at the Appalachian Theatre.

Deathridge and Ward join Carter, Davison and Hansell as the volunteer organizers of the festival.

The Friday workshop and screening are free, as are the Saturday morning and afternoon blocks. Tickets to the Saturday evening screening of the Boone Docs Film Festival are $12 each and available for purchase online via ATHC's touchless ticketing portal at: https://www.apptheatre.org/events-and-tickets/boone-docs-2026.

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About the Boone Docs Film Festival

The Boone Docs Film Festival is a juried film festival that screens short-format documentaries celebrating life in the Appalachian region, providing a platform for stories about the people who call the Appalachian Mountains their home. The films presented at Boone Docs celebrate the diversity of life and cultures in one of the world's oldest mountain chains.

About the Appalachian Theatre

The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country is a historic Art Deco theatre built in 1938, renovated, and restored to a 629-seat state-of-the-art performance venue which reopened to audiences in October 2019 to serve the North Carolina High Country region as a non-profit performing arts center. Programming includes a diverse array of live performances, concerts, films, community arts and civic events. More information about the Appalachian Theatre, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is available by calling 828.865.3000 or by visiting apptheatre.org.