SF DocFest Non-Fiction Vanguard Award: Sara Archambault

SF DocFest Non-Fiction Vanguard Award

As both a producer and curator Sara Archambault has been a steadfast champion of the documentary renaissance that has taken place in the 21st century.  While she isn’t a household name (not yet), SF DocFest prides itself on recognizing those unconventional, creative risk-takers that are redefining the nonfiction cinematic form and are someone to watch.

Whether it was in her earlier life in grantmaking when was she was Program Director for the LEF Foundation or as the Founder/Head Programmer of the award-winning documentary film series The DocYard in Boston, Sara has always been dedicated to the craft of artful nonfiction storytelling, a spirit which she now brings to her role as a Creative Producer in the films she produces.

People often wonder what a producer does and in a word “everything.”  And in the world of indie documentary filmmaking, where the resources are less obvious and films often take years to make, even more so.

While documentaries often tell an evolving story, a lot of forethought still goes into the production, so in some form it’s about logistics, and yes the business side of filmmaking.  But seriously, there are no formulas for the work a producer does, other than believing in an idea when no one else might, but who they will eventually win over.  They do all the things that no one else wants to do, as it lets the directors direct and the editors edit.  And if they do their work right, nobody will notice the work they did, but we at SF DocFest do.

As a collaborative art form, documentary relies on these behind the scenes savants to help bring ideas into reality and then out into the world to be in front of you, the audience.  2020’s SF DocFest Non-Fiction Vanguard Award is a celebration of the attitude “by all means necessary” and the work Sara Archambault helps create, which are often beautiful essays of unexpected worlds.

Her work in both filmmaking and curation has been pushing boundaries and redefining what people think documentary filmmaking is.  So after previously presenting Sara’s producing debut, the award winning Street Fighting Men (SF DocFest 2017), we are excited to welcome her back to SF DocFest with the newest film Truth or Consequences that she has created with director/producer Hannah Jayanti.

Past recipients of the award include: Melody Gilbert, Robert Greene, Sean Dunne, Jamie Meltzer, Penny Lane, Don Argott and Sheena Joyce.