True/False 2026 Rewind

We kicked off our first stop of BGDM on Tour at the True/False Film Festival, and what an amazing start to this next chapter we are embarking on. Supported by the The Harnisch Foundation, this moment felt like a true reflection of what happens when our community shows up fully.

Mafiosxs were everywhere. Premiering films. Speaking on panels. Programming. Hosting. Gathering. Building. The presence was undeniable.

BGDM staff Iyabo Boyd and Kitty Hu at the March March Parade with fellow Mafiosxs.

Huge love to Yance Ford, programmers Amada Torruella and Bedatri D. Choudhury, and the entire festival team for curating a lineup that challenged, moved and expanded audiences across so many lived experiences and geographies. This year’s program was a reminder of what’s possible when our stories are resourced and platformed.

From left to right: a BGDM member Nell Lawrenz-Wareham, BGDM Executive Director Iyabo Boyd, and Farihah Zaman, True/False’s incoming Artistic Director.

And a special moment for the Mafia: celebrating Farihah Zaman as incoming Artistic Director. A former BGDM staffer stepping into this role is a full-circle reminder that our community doesn’t just participate in the field, we help shape it.

Mafia Activations

In partnership with the University of Missouri’s Based on a True Story (BOATS) program, we made space to connect with the next generation of filmmakers.

Iyabo Boyd, Emily Mkrtichian, Nell Lawrenz-Wareheim, and myself reflected on what it means to build community with intention. From “good trouble” to long-term strategy, the conversation centered on how BGDM has spent the past decade creating pathways where none existed.

Group photo following the “How to Disrupt Inequity, How to Build a Network: Celebrating 10 Years of Brown Girls Doc Mafia” panel.

Later, over our “Spill the Tea” lunch, we connected with student filmmakers of color who shared their thesis projects and creative journeys. These moments felt intimate, honest and deeply energizing. The care and intention these filmmakers are bringing into the field is exactly why we do this work.

Spill the Tea: Lunch with BGDM filmmakers and University of Missouri students.

Thank you Sebastián Martinez and Robert Greene for carving out this space for and with us.

Films from the Mafia

Of course, the heart of the festival was the films, and BGDM member projects were woven throughout the lineup. From intimate personal stories to expansive explorations of history, place and identity, our members brought bold, thoughtful work to screens across the festival. Seeing so many of these films in conversation with one another was a powerful reminder of the depth, range and creative force within our community.

Below are the BGDM member films that screened at True/False 2026:

• Aanikoobijigan [ancestor/great-grandparent/great-grandchild]
• American Doctor
• The Boys and the Bees
• Buckskin
• The Eyes of Ghana
• Endlings
• First They Came for My College
• How to Clean a House in Ten Easy Steps
• The Great Experiment
• Jaripeo
• A Place of Absence
• Powwow People
• Same Water
• School for Defectors
• True North
• Sons of Detroit
• Soul Patrol
• TCB: The Toni Cade Bambara School of Organizing
• Time and Water
• To Hold a Mountain
• What Comes From Sitting in Silence?
• Who Moves America

How to Clean a House in Ten Easy Steps post-screening with cast and crew, featuring BGDM members Director and Producer Carolina González Valencia and Producer Brenda Avila-Hanna.

A Place of Absence screening featuring BGDM members Director & Producer Marialuisa Ernst and Executive Producer Cecilia Aldarondo.

True/False reminded us what happens when our community is resourced, supported and in the room. We are not just showing up. We are shaping conversations, building relationships and expanding what nonfiction storytelling can look like.

From left to right: Iyabo Boyd, Kitty Hu, Emily Mkrtichian and Nell Lawrenz-Wareheim.

From panels to screenings to shared meals, this stop on BGDM on Tour was rooted in connection, care and collective power.

And we’re just getting started.