SFFILM Reveals 2026 Doc Stories Lineup with Oscar Contenders
SFFILM announced the 12th edition of its Doc Stories festival, running November 5-8 at the Vogue Theatre. The Oscar-season event features 10 feature documentaries, including opening film '14th' by Ava DuVernay, and works by Sam Pollard and Laura Poitras.
SFFILM has announced the full lineup for the 12th edition of Doc Stories, headlined by Ava DuVernay’s opening night film '14th' and featuring works by Sam Pollard, Laura Poitras, Luke Lorentzen, and Ben Proudfoot. The festival, which includes 10 Oscar-contending feature documentaries, runs from November 5 through 8 at San Francisco's Vogue Theatre.
Opening the festival on November 5 is Ava DuVernay's '14th,' a 107-minute documentary that premiered earlier this month at the New York Film Festival. Other notable Oscar-contending features in the program include J.M. Harper’s 'Soul Patrol,' Sam Pollard’s 'Tutu,' and James Marcus Haney’s 'Black Sunflowers,' the latter executive produced by Sean Penn. The complete feature lineup is as follows:
| Film | Director | Country/Year | Runtime (min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14th | Ava DuVernay | USA 2026 | 107 |
| All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea | Jeanie Finlay | UK 2026 | 99 |
| Black Sunflowers | James Marcus Haney | Ukraine 2026 | 97 |
| Boatbuilders | Luke Lorentzen | USA 2026 | 103 |
| Citizen Osama | Ahmed Hassouna | Palestine, France 2026 | 71 |
| Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been | Barry Avrich | Canada 2026 | 118 |
Breakout artists Erik Shirai and J.M. Harper are among the guest filmmakers attending in person. The festival also includes short films, such as Joshua Oppenheimer’s 'The Revolution Against Death' and Laura Poitras’ Oscar-winning short 'They’re Here.'
Festival structure and venue details
The four-day festival at the Vogue Theatre will present 10 feature documentaries and 11 short films. The program is rounded out by three Doc Talks, each session lasting 60 minutes. Most screenings are scheduled to run only once, programmed intentionally back-to-back. All public screenings take place at the Vogue Theatre.
Industry and awards season significance
Doc Stories is considered the key Oscar season campaign stop in Northern California. Since its inception in 2015, it has served as a gathering point for the Bay Area’s documentary community. The festival's track record is notable. More than two dozen of its past selections have gone on to earn Academy Award nominations. Several have won Oscars, including recent winners 'No Other Land' and 'Summer of Soul.'
Education and community programs
SFFILM’s Education team will host the Schools at Doc Stories initiative from November 2 through 10. This program offers free in-person screenings at SFMOMA and online programs for classrooms nationwide. It features three selections from the main festival alongside eight additional programs. These include work from Academy Award-winning directors Ben Proudfoot and Vanessa Roth.
A Future Filmmakers Showcase will present original films by Berkeley High School students. Ben Proudfoot will also lead a documentary filmmaking workshop for teens at SFFILM’s FilmHouse. The Artist Development team hosts an inaugural Pitch Forum for three local filmmakers during the festival period.
Special events and discussions
A day of dialogue called Doc Congress will bring together filmmakers, funders, and industry professionals. It includes a dynamic group discussion on the use of AI in documentaries, featuring Srđan Keča, director of Stanford’s MFA in Documentary Film, and Rachel Antell, co-founder of the Archival Producers Alliance.
The Doc Talks sessions, held at a lounge sponsored by ESPN Films, feature conversations between filmmakers. One session pairs Laura Poitras with Rachel Lauren Mueller to discuss 'They’re Here.' Another pairs Sam Pollard with J.M. Harper. A third features Jeanie Finlay, Luke Lorentzen, and Erik Shirai. Guest filmmakers will cap off the weekend at Sunday’s annual Doc Stories Brunch.
