--
By Stephanie Ornelas
In all things, to progress - to get better - means to listen and to learn. For documentary filmmakers, it's paramount they listen to, learn from, and protect the people their stories are centered around.
It's a moment of learning, unlearning and reflection, and I hope, evolution. And while that process is difficult, and it's messy, it's also the nature of our field, said Carrie Lozano, director of Sundance Institute's Documentary Film and Artist Programs, as she opened Sundance Collab's recent online event about documentary storytelling. We can always strive to do better.
Sundance Collab (in collaboration with the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program) offered a crucial and timely panel discussion about working with vulnerable sources. While one of the goals was to encourage a lively debate on the topic, Lozano hoped that viewers would leave the discussion thinking more deeply about the ways in which filmmakers work with vulnerable people - and what they mean when they talk about vulnerable populations.
The panel included Robert Greene (Procession), Daresha Kyi (Mama Bears), Daffodil Altan from PBS Frontline, and Gisela P rez de Acha from the University of California, Berkeley, Human Rights Center Investigations Lab and Investigative Reporting Program. Moderated by Lozano, the conversation centered around specific considerations filmmakers take to protect the individuals whose stories and circumstances they aim to uplift.
For Altan, who often works with undocumented and traumatized sources, building trust means being completely aware of her role throughout the filmmaking process and meeting victims where they're at, especially when there are boundaries and certain parameters that she cannot cross professionally.
I come in as a person first - a person with lived experience. I also come into the situation aware of the profession that I'm in, both as a filmmaker and as a journalist, says Altan.
I'm coming from professions where there's a lot of work to be done in terms of recognizing what the history has been when so-called storytellers go in and tell a story, she continues. Having that awareness is critical in how we think about and approach these stories.
As a daughter of immigrant parents, Altan has a vital perspective on how filmmakers can approach trauma and vulnerability in their subjects.
It gives me empathy, humility, and people can feel that. You have to think about where they might be, she explains. What point are they at in their healing process? It's all about meeting people where they are. There's a lot we don't know. Be prepared to listen and to learn.
Altan also talked about transparency and the significance of having an honest conversation with her subjects before beginning a project.
Moderator Carrie Lozano, director of Sundance Institute's Documentary Film and Artist Programs, speaks with Daffodil Altan of PBS Frontline. To protect both the victim(s) and the film, she explains how it's critical that she's made aware of anything that could resurface, for example, a criminal background or something like a domestic abuse allegation.
I try to elevate a story so that it can be known in the world and so there can be potential change. But in order for the film to hold up, I need to know if anything has happened that could come back at [the subject] once this airs. Because that not only hurts the film, it hurts [the people involved], Altran stresses. Then we have a conversation. We talk about what happened and if it's relevant to the story.
Throughout the webinar, each panelist gave their own unique viewpoint on working diligently and compassionately with a film's protagonists, based on their own projects, strengths, and lessons learned.
Director Robert Greene had a challenge ahead of him when he began working on Procession (available on Netflix), a film that centers around six men who, as boys, were sexually assaulted by priests associated with the Kansas City Diocese. When he saw a press conference with three of the six men who ended up being in the film, accompanied by their lawyer, Rebecca Randalls, he was moved by the story and proceeded with caution.
I reached out to Rebecca. We started those conversations, Greene says. And it's very important that we reached out to her first. It really was, Rebecca, tell us what's wrong with this idea,' and that's sort of how we approached everything.
A huge takeaway for Greene was that filmmakers cannot take on this kind of work without the appropriate people surrounding them. Having the right team of collaborators was of the utmost importance, and those at the center of every film should be treated as such.
Documentary filmmaker Robert Greene (Procession, 2021) It's critical to have the right producers as partners, as well as funders and supporters.
It was all collaborative. This is a team effort. They are the filmmakers as much as we are, and that was the jumping point, Greene adds.
Lozano asked Greene to share his thoughts on retraumatization - the return of trauma-related thoughts and feelings when a person relives a horrifying moment in their past - and what could happen as his subjects were retelling their stories.
It's certainly a question I misunderstood when we started the process, Greene admits. But it was clear that they were ready for something like this. And it's specific to these men because not everyone is in the place that they are.
Nevertheless, he made sure people were in place to provide support. A drama therapist was present the entire time. Their lawyer (who is trauma-trained) was on set as often as she could, as were family members and other support systems.
We had people around who loved them. And what we found was that
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/03/2026
NBC Sports selected Imaginary Forces to create the main title sequence for the M...
02/03/2026
The NFL announces the launch of the NFL Draft Innovation Challenge, a new crowds...
02/03/2026
The World Teleport Association (WTA) has named Skyline Communications' DataMiner SatOps solution as a finalist for the 2026 Teleport Technology of the Year ...
02/03/2026
Ventum Tech announces a strategic partnership with Pixotope, a real-time graphic...
02/03/2026
Victory , a free, ad-supported sports streaming service, announces the launch of...
02/03/2026
Global powerhouse Delta Goodrem to represent Australia at this year's Eurovi...
02/03/2026
SBS brings together prominent voices to discuss rising social division and seek ...
02/03/2026
NITV Unveils Wednesday Night Sport Night
Media releases
A Midweek Hub for Blak Sport
Flagship NRL program Over The Black Dot moves to Wednesdays at 9:30pm
...
02/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation, advancing 6G readiness Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. have reached another pivotal ...
02/03/2026
MELBOURNE, Fla., March 2, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) today announc...
02/03/2026
Harvey Norman tops New Zealand's biggest ad spenders as retail leads and telcos and beverages sure Auckland March 3, 2026 - Nielsen's New Zealand'...
02/03/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, and Arqit Quantum Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQQ, A...
02/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, has appointed Jody Boatwright as Chief Strategy Of...
02/03/2026
Lightware, an industry leader in signal management, is reinforcing its commitment to simplifying complex AV environments with the continued evolution of its TPN...
02/03/2026
ZEISS Cinema opens its doors to an exclusive screening, filmmakers Q&A and hands-on showcase of the new ZEISS Aatma lens family on Tuesday, March 10, 6:00-9:00 ...
02/03/2026
To expand the creative potential of the compact Astera QuikBeam, DoPchoice introduces the SNAPBAG Round. The new light-shaping accessory transforms the powerfu...
02/03/2026
Douglas Dubler
On a rooftop in New York City, veteran photographer Douglas Dubler watched the sun's angle shift across the urban landscape, his internal cl...
02/03/2026
ZEISS is expanding its Otus ML lens family with the introduction of the new ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/35. This manual-focus lens is designed for photographers who live ...
02/03/2026
Matthews Studio Equipment now offers the new Dinkum Systems White FlexiMount and Phone Mount Kit, a compact, highly adaptable setup for mobile content creation...
02/03/2026
Luxembourg, February 26, 2026 - SES and Africa Mobile Network (AMN) have expande...
02/03/2026
02 03 2026 - Media release Ausfilm and Screen Australia launch joint UK market initiative
Ausfilm and Screen Australia have announced Partner with Australia (...
02/03/2026
Monday 2 March 2026
Saturday Night Live UK announces writing team
L-R: Jonno Johnson; Charlie Skelton; Celya AB; Omar Badawy; Gr inne Maguire; Laura Claxton; ...
02/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Trailer for 53 Sundays, the New Film by Cesc Gay
Entertainment
02 March 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Dis...
28/02/2026
With two features seen in Formula 1 coverage, the broadcaster aims to bring view...
28/02/2026
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addresses a crowd of approximately 1,500 L3Harris employees in Camden, Arkansas, as part of his Arsenal of Freedom tour....
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Berklee Presents Mambo Mania: Eguie Castrillo and the Berklee All-Stars Big Band...
28/02/2026
Berklee Announces Two New Summer Programs in Los Angeles The Berklee Music Business Program and Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Workshop bring imme...
28/02/2026
AI-RAN is moving from lab to field, showing that a software-defined approach is ...
28/02/2026
Autonomous networks - intelligent, self-managing telecommunications operations -...
28/02/2026
Back to All News
Final Trailer for BEASTARS Final Season Part 2' Roars Tow...
28/02/2026
New way to intentionally discover molecular glues could expand drug discovery Scripps Research scientists and colleagues show how drugs that eliminate certain d...
27/02/2026
The E.W. Scripps Company names Oliver Gray as Vice President, Network Sports and...
27/02/2026
The Gotham Sports App, the exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming home of MSG Networks and the YES Network, is now available for purchase through Prime Video fo...
-- 
