Schools at Doc Stories
2026 Schools at Doc Stories runs Nov 2–10, 2026
SFFILM’s Schools at Doc Stories program is a vital connection between the annual Doc Stories film festival and the local educational community, providing students of all ages the opportunity to experience documentaries from around the world. The Schools at Doc Stories program introduces students ages 6 to 18 to the art and process of nonfiction film and filmmaking while promoting media literacy, deepening insights into other cultures, enhancing foreign language aptitude, developing critical thinking skills, and inspiring a lifelong appreciation of cinema.
Contact Director of Education Keith Zwölfer at 415-561-5040 or kzwolfer@Sffilm.org with questions about our current SADS program and to find out how to get your kids involved.
2026 Schools at Doc Stories Program Guide
Schools at Doc Stories In-Person Programs
Nov 5–9, 2026
Kids Like Me
Cynthia Lowen, Jon Cohrs, USA 2026, 88 min
THU NOV 5 12:15 pm–2:15 pm PT | SFMOMA
Meet Oliver, a 12-year-old murder mystery enthusiast with a vivid imagination and a rare genetic condition. Inspired by his love of the genre, Oliver sets out to bring his own mystery to the big screen with a little help from family and friends. What unfolds is more than the behind-the-scenes journey of a film starring genius Detective Oliver—it’s a celebration of chasing your dreams and what is possible when a community comes together. Directors Cynthia Lowen and Jon Cohrs build off of decades of close friendship and trust to craft an intimate portrait of an imaginative, charismatic, and multidimensional 12-year-old whose storytelling envelops his community. Kids Like Me honors both Oliver’s remarkable vision and passion and the realities his family navigates every day—revealing how creativity can transform challenges into connection.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Disability Studies, Drama/Acting, English Language Arts, Peer/Youth Issues
Recommended Grades: 5–12
Program Note: This film contains brief profanity.
Meals That Made Us
Nisha Balaram, USA 2026, 59 min
FRI NOV 6 12 pm–1:30 pm PT | SFMOMA
Meals That Made Us explores how Asian American communities across the San Francisco Bay Area shape identity, nurture one another, and imagine new futures through food. From crabbing content creation on Ocean Beach and foraging in Point Reyes to playing mahjong in Oakland and the power of shared meals in San Jose, the film traces how Asian American food is a living practice grounded in history, fueled by creativity and sustained through connection. Moving between intimate personal moments and sweeping cultural shifts, the three-part docu-series shows food as more than a reflection of identity—it is an evolving tradition that builds belonging, bridges generations, and reimagines community in the Bay Area.
Suggested Subjects: Asian American Studies, Bay Area/Local Interest, Career Path Training, Culinary Arts, Ethnic Studies, Social Studies
Recommended Grades: 4–12
Third Monday in October
Vanessa Roth, USA 2006, 91 min
MON NOV 9 10 am–12 pm PT | SFMOMA
In honor of the 2026 midterm elections, it’s time to revisit a SFFILM Education classic. In 2004, while Bush and Kerry debate Iraq and the economy, 11 middle school student government presidential hopefuls from three states debate their own issues of importance: curly fries in the cafeteria, bathroom stalls, and new themes for dances. At Francisco Middle School in San Francisco, where the student population is mostly first generation with torn textbook rejects from other schools, candidates Mick and Jenny are full of hope but woefully lacking the support systems they need to succeed. At Hall Middle School in Marin County, where parents engage their kids in mock debates and teachers coach candidates in speechwriting, opinionated William is up against incumbent “Student Action Man” Sam. The film also showcases the cutthroat political processes within the diverse student bodies of Atlanta and Austin. Against the backdrop of the concurrent Bush-Kerry election battle, The Third Monday in October takes us on a tour of budding politicians with similar visions of governmental grandeur.
Suggested Subjects: Bay Area/Local Interest, Civics, Journalism, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Studies
Recommended Grades: 4–12
Your Attention Please
Sara Robin, USA 2026, 96 min
In English and Dutch, Spanish, Italian with English subtitles
MON NOV 9 12:30 pm–2:30 pm PT | SFMOMA
As the real-world consequences of social media come into focus, a resilient coalition of parents, Gen Z reformers and whistleblowers are fighting back against Big Tech’s agenda to define the future of connection. From Kristin, a mother pursuing legislative reform after losing her son, to Trisha, a young programmer building technology to stop cyberbullying, the film reveals how deeply the attention economy is shaping childhood, mental health, and human connection. As lawmakers debate social media reform, Gen Z launches a global Offline Club movement, and a high school dares to go phone-free. What emerges is a hopeful story that a cultural shift and a future of tech reform is already underway.
Suggested Subjects: Activism, Civics, Computer Science, Current Events, Mental Health, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Psychology
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This film contains brief profanity and mentions of teen suicide.
The Buffalo Miracle & The Queen of Basketball
Program Runtime: 58 min
FRI NOV 6 10 am–11:30 am PT | SFMOMA
With little more than great ambition, Breakwater Studios was founded in 2012 by Academy Award®–winning Nova Scotian filmmaker Ben Proudfoot. Beginning with early student projects at USC, Proudfoot has grown Breakwater into a creative force in the short-documentary space, with films that have screened at more than 130 film festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival. Known for its distinctive style of cinematic, humanist storytelling, Breakwater Studios continues to earn award recognition and critical acclaim. Ben is a longtime collaborator and friend of SFFILM Education, and we are fortunate to welcome him back. This program will showcase Ben’s newest short alongside an award-winning favorite from 2022, which was also executive produced by the Bay Area’s own Stephen Curry. With stories that celebrate resilience, connection, and the extraordinary within everyday lives, this program is sure to inspire audiences of all ages—from our youngest student attendees to our oldest.
The Buffalo Miracle
Ben Proudfoot, USA 2026, 36 min
When the 21st century’s deadliest blizzard bears down on Buffalo residents, stranding them at home and on the roads without power on Christmas eve, a McDonald’s manager defies orders and opens her restaurant’s doors to more than 50 people in need, turning the unlikeliest of places into a refuge, and a group of strangers into a family. And since it is Buffalo, getting to cheer on the Bills at the same time is required. Utilizing a combination of animation, powerfully emotional interviews and a moving score, Ben Proudfoot reminds us once again that heroes can be found anywhere. Fred Rogers famously once said “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ “
The Queen of Basketball
Ben Proudfoot, USA 2021, 22 mins
She is one of the greatest living women’s basketball players. Three national trophies.
Scored the first basket in women’s Olympic basketball at the 1976 Olympics. Drafted to the NBA. But have you ever heard of Lucy Harris? Ben Proudfoot’s sensitive direction combines archival footage along with stories told by Lusia “Lucy” Harris from memory in her own voice to provide a moving portrait of one of the most important American athletes of the 20th century.
Suggested Subjects: African American Studies, Art/Media, Social Studies, Sports/Physical Education, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 3–12
Future Filmmakers Showcase
Program Runtime: 63 min
THU NOV 5 10:15 am–11:45 am PT | SFMOMA
Each year, Future Filmmakers selects a small group of students from Berkeley High School and nationwide for an immersive, hands-on journey from idea to final film. With guidance from professional mentors and editors, students develop personal documentary projects while learning the fundamentals of storytelling. This selection from their cohorts cover various stories of what it means to be a teenager in this moment in the Bay Area. From getting ready to go to college and the weight of future decisions to understanding oneself through family history and personal stories, these films all exemplify the empowerment young people have to author their own stories.
*Titles are listed alphabetically rather than in order of play.
Leaving the Nest
Oliver Hufford, USA 2025, 10 min
On the brink of leaving for college, Oliver rekindles birding trips with his dad, a hobby they once shared closely. As they chase species and climb the county birding leaderboard, Oliver wrestles with the fear of growing distant from his father and the weight of life’s transitions. Their search for the elusive Swainson’s hawk becomes a symbol of their bond—proof that even as life changes, connection can endure.
Natalie
Ámela Amago, USA 2026, 11 min
Ámela decides to visit her de facto stepmom after reflecting on the challenge of her parents’ divorce and how it led to her taking out her frustrations on Natalie only to miss her when Natalie left.
On the Side
Akhila Narayan, USA 2026, 10 min
Navigating questions about her future and career, a young high school filmmaker looks to her family and herself to find out how art will fit into her life.
Spaces We Occupy
Zoe Dilworth, USA 2026, 11 min
Growing up, the legacy of Angel Island’s immigration detention center has always been at the back of Bay Area teenager Zoe’s mind, occupying a strange role as both an iconic state park and the site of pain for so many people including her own family—in visiting the island and researching its past, she navigates identity and connection.
Who I’m Trying to Be
Derrick Coney, USA 2025, 11 min
When Derrick Coney learns in childhood that the man raising him is not his biological father, it sets him on a journey of identity, belonging, and gratitude. Through candid conversations with his family, Derrick reflects on what it means to be a son, to inherit Puerto Rican culture, and to search for roots. The film celebrates the love and resilience of the family who chose to stay, revealing that fatherhood is defined not by blood, but by commitment.
Within a Pearl
Tohaana Standinghorse, USA 2026, 10 min
Tohaana Standinghorse is an 18-year old Diné surfer growing up in the Bay Area away from her home on the reservation. Out at sea in the freezing coastal California waters, she can find peace of mind.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Bay Area/Local Interest, Coming of Age, Ethnic Studies, Peer/Youth Issues, Immigration, Journalism
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This program contains a brief mention of sexual assault.
Schools at Doc Stories Online Programs
Nov 2–10, 2026
Screening link(s) will be sent to view the film at your convenience. The viewing window is November 2–10.
All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea
Jeanie Finlay, USA 2026, 99 min
Pre-recorded Q&A with registration
For over 50 years, fisherman Stan Rennie has made his living from Teesside’s waters in northeast England. A Brexit supporter, Stan welcomes a port development promising jobs and prosperity. But when construction begins and a vast tide of dead sea life washes ashore, his faith in progress—and its promise for his community—begins to shift. A lifelong fisherman who has always believed in earning a living with his hands, Stan is drawn into an urgent search for answers alongside fellow fishermen and neighbors. Jeanie Finlay’s intimate, deeply empathetic documentary follows a community confronting an environmental disaster, a threatened way of life, and the fallout from promises made in the name of economic renewal. What begins as one man’s fight for his livelihood becomes a larger reckoning with power, responsibility, and what we are willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of progress.–Mariana Finelli
Suggested Subjects: Activism, Career Path Training, Environmental Science, Journalism, Political Science, World History
Recommended Grades: 9–12
Program Note: This film contains brief profanity.
Give Me the Ball!
Liz Garbus, Elizabeth Wolff, USA 2026, 102 min
Pre-recorded Q&A with registration
Billie Jean King changed the game of tennis—on the court and across sports culture. Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff’s documentary presents the legend in full, combining rare archival footage with candid interviews to reveal the human behind the icon. King’s groundbreaking fight for equity in professional women’s sports came at personal cost: hiding her sexual orientation, struggling with eating disorders, and subordinating her own well-being to advance the cause. The filmmakers capture both her indelible victories and the challenges she endured with clarity and immediacy, presenting a portrait that is as fierce and uncompromising as King herself. Told in her own words, Give Me the Ball! is a vivid, electrifying meditation on competition, courage, and the transformative power of one fiercely determined individual.—Jessie Fairbanks
Suggested Subjects: Activism, LGBTQ+ Studies, Sports/Physical Education, U.S. History, Women and Gender Studies
Recommended Grades: 5–12
Program Note: This film contains brief profanity.
A Healing Journey: Comanche Academy
The Comanche Academy and Kathryn Boyd Batstone, USA 2025, 82 min
In English and Comanche
Pre-recorded Q&A with registration
The documentary Comanche Academy: A Healing Journey delves into the transformative journey of a community striving to heal from the profound trauma of Indian boarding schools. Through the lens of these female-led educators at Comanche Academy Indigenous Charter School in Lawton, Oklahoma, the film explores themes of resilience, cultural reclamation, and the power of education. Here, young boys proudly wear their hair in long braids, students openly speak the Comanche language as they learn from elders and Language teacher Starla Bilyeu, and the PreK classes showcase their linguistic prowess before thousands at the Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair. Through the tireless efforts of Comanche Academy’s devoted educators, a brighter, more healed future for the Comanche people comes into view.
Suggested Subjects: Education, Indigenous Studies, Mental Health, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Studies, U.S. History
Recommended Grades: 5–12
Program Note: This film contains mentions of boarding school abuse.
Kids Like Me
Cynthia Lowen, Jon Cohrs, USA 2026, 88 min
Pre-recorded Q&A with registration
Meet Oliver, a 12-year-old murder mystery enthusiast with a vivid imagination and a rare genetic condition. Inspired by his love of the genre, Oliver sets out to bring his own mystery to the big screen with a little help from family and friends. What unfolds is more than the behind-the-scenes journey of a film starring genius Detective Oliver—it’s a celebration of chasing your dreams and what is possible when a community comes together. Directors Cynthia Lowen and Jon Cohrs build off of decades of close friendship and trust to craft an intimate portrait of an imaginative, charismatic, and multidimensional 12-year-old whose storytelling envelops his community. Kids Like Me honors both Oliver’s remarkable vision and passion and the realities his family navigates every day—revealing how creativity can transform challenges into connection.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Disability Studies, Drama/Acting, English Language Arts, Peer/Youth Issues
Recommended Grades: 5–12
Program Note: This film contains brief profanity.
Meals That Made Us
Nisha Balaram, USA 2026, 59 min
Pre-recorded Q&A with registration
Meals That Made Us explores how Asian American communities across the San Francisco Bay Area shape identity, nurture one another, and imagine new futures through food. From crabbing content creation on Ocean Beach and foraging in Point Reyes to playing mahjong in Oakland and the power of shared meals in San Jose, the film traces how Asian American food is a living practice grounded in history, fueled by creativity and sustained through connection. Moving between intimate personal moments and sweeping cultural shifts, the three-part docu-series shows food as more than a reflection of identity—it is an evolving tradition that builds belonging, bridges generations, and reimagines community in the Bay Area.
Suggested Subjects: Asian American Studies, Bay Area/Local Interest, Career Path Training, Culinary Arts, Ethnic Studies, Social Studies
Recommended Grades: 4–12
Soul Patrol
J.M. Harper, USA 2026, 100 min
Pre-recorded Q&A with registration
It starts in Vietnam in 1968 with an all-Black six-man patrol team—the first of its kind for this particular war. One of the members, Ed Emmanuel, writes a memoir about the men in 2003, and this moving, creative, and vital documentary depicts their final reunion in 2024. In addition to the veterans’ reminiscences and deep camaraderie, the film incorporates super 8 footage shot by vets and dramatic reenactments to paint a full picture of these men’s experiences, their lingering traumas, and their continuing friendship. There is darkness, of course—as one of the members reflects, “We survived the war, but there was no peace”—and Soul Patrol doesn’t shy away from the irony of fighting for a country that doesn’t treat Black men well. But the key factor here is recognition—the story of these men and their heroic efforts might have been lost forever without Emmanuel’s book and this seminal film.—Rod Armstrong
Suggested Subjects: African American Studies, English Language Arts, Ethnic Studies, Journalism, Social Studies, U.S. History, World History
Recommended Grades: 9–12
Program Note: This film contains profanity and racist language.
Shorts Block: New York Times Op Docs
Program Runtime: 98 min
Pre-recorded Q&A with registration
Continuing Doc Stories’ beloved tradition of a dedicated shorts block featuring new and upcoming films from The New York Times’ Op-Docs desk, this year’s selection offers five singular stories that find humor, humanity, and unexpected drama in the lives of their subjects. A former Olympian wages an unconventional battle to preserve his unruly lawn, while musicians pursue the elusive perfection of pitch at a prestigious piano competition. Amid a national migration crisis, four young Cuban artists make the radical choice to stay. An aging community embarks on an eccentric quest for immortality, while in Sweden, a mother follows a trail of graffiti in hopes of finding her long-lost son. Together, these films celebrate idiosyncratic characters, unexpected passions, and the deeply human impulse to pursue what matters, no matter how improbable the journey.—Jessie Fairbanks
*Titles are listed alphabetically rather than in order of play.
La Retaguardia
Olivier Côté, Jean-François Bouchard, Cuba/Canada 2026, 21 min
In Spanish with English subtitles
Amid a national migration crisis, four young Cuban artists go against the tide and choose to stay.
The Revolution Against Death
Joshua Oppenheimer, USA 2026, 23 min
Joshua Oppenheimer gazes into the world of an aging community and their eccentric efforts to achieve immortality.
Son
Leona Cauklija, Sweden 2026, 13 min
In Swedish with English subtitles
A Swedish mother’s love knows no bounds, using graffiti to track down her long lost son.
The Tuners
Paweł Chorzępa, Poland 2026, 23 min
In Polish, English, Japanese, French with English subtitles
Distinguished tuners work tirelessly to achieve perfect pitch for their instruments at a renowned piano competition.
A Wolf in the Suburbs
Amélie Hardy, Canada 2026, 18 min
A Mississaugan man revives his former Olympian mindset in a fight to preserve his lawn’s overgrowth.
Suggested Subjects: Art/Media, Journalism, Latin American Studies, Mental Health, Music, Social Studies, Spanish
Recommended Grades: 6–12
Program Note: This program contains mild profanity
Programs By Suggested Subjects and Themes
ACTIVISM
All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea
Give Me the Ball!
Your Attention Please
AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES
The Buffalo Miracle & The Queen of Basketball
Soul Patrol
ART/MEDIA
The Buffalo Miracle & The Queen of Basketball
Future Filmmakers Showcase
Kids Like Me
Shorts Block: New York Times Op Docs
ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES
Meals That Made Us
BAY AREA/LOCAL INTEREST
Future Filmmakers Showcase
Meals That Made Us
Third Monday in October
CAREER PATH TRAINING
All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea
Meals That Made Us
CIVICS
Third Monday in October
Your Attention Please
COMING OF AGE
Future Filmmakers Showcase
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Your Attention Please
CULINARY ARTS
Meals That Made Us
CURRENT/WORLD EVENTS
Your Attention Please
DISABILITY STUDIES
Kids Like Me
DRAMA/ACTING
Kids Like Me
EDUCATION
A Healing Journey: Comanche Academy
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
Kids Like Me
Soul Patrol
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea
ETHNIC STUDIES
Future Filmmakers Showcase
Soul Patrol
Meals That Made Us
IMMIGRATION
Future Filmmakers Showcase
INDIGENOUS STUDIES
A Healing Journey: Comanche Academy
JOURNALISM
All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea
Future Filmmakers Showcase
Shorts Block: New York Times Op Docs
Soul Patrol
Third Monday in October
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
Shorts Block: New York Times Op Docs
LGBTQ+ STUDIES
Give Me the Ball!
MENTAL HEALTH
A Healing Journey: Comanche Academy
Shorts Block: New York Times Op Docs
Your Attention Please
MUSIC
Shorts Block: New York Times Op Docs
PEER/YOUTH ISSUES
Future Filmmakers Showcase
A Healing Journey: Comanche Academy
Kids Like Me
Your Attention Please
POLITICAL SCIENCE
All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea
Third Monday in October
Your Attention Please
PSYCHOLOGY
Your Attention Please
SCIENCE
Your Attention Please
SOCIAL STUDIES
The Buffalo Miracle & The Queen of Basketball
A Healing Journey: Comanche Academy
Meals That Made Us
Shorts Block: New York Times Op Docs
Soul Patrol
SPANISH
Shorts Block: New York Times Op Docs
SPORTS/PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The Buffalo Miracle & The Queen of Basketball
Give Me the Ball!
U.S. HISTORY
Give Me the Ball!
A Healing Journey: Comanche Academy
Soul Patrol
Third Monday in October
WOMEN AND GENDER STUDIES
The Buffalo Miracle & The Queen of Basketball
Give Me the Ball!
WORLD HISTORY
All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea
Soul Patrol