Discovering Errol Morris’ Vernon, Florida, inside a dark alcove in NYU’s media library as an undergrad studying film was what inspired me to pursue documentary seriously. In Vernon, Florida, I saw how nonfiction could be a place for as much innovation, artistry, and mystery as fiction filmmaking. 

Released in 1981, Vernon, Florida was Morris’ second feature, a 55-minute documentary set among the residents of a small town in Florida. On the surface, nothing much appears to happen in the film. We listen to and watch the meandering ramblings of a few town residents: a turkey hunter obsessed with his elusive prey, a policeman without crimes to catch, and a wildlife hoarder whose quarry struggles to get away from him. During these patient, to-camera monologues, our minds wander as much as Morris’ subjects are allowed to digress on camera. In the cinematic space that Morris creates within this swamp, we’re invited to make sense of these individuals expounding on their philosophy around turkeys and turtles. Somewhere along the way, we approach something that breathes life and its inscrutability. 

The muted narrative that emerges out of Vernon, Florida—forged in the gaps between the subjects, their words, the filmmaker and viewer—feels profound and unexpected. The first time I watched Vernon, Florida, I was convinced it was an oblique treatise on our desire to control nature and impose our will on the lives of others. But the film’s meaning has never been fixed. 

I’m drawn to filmmakers who evoke authenticity, meaning, and emotion without relying on extraordinary subject matter or plot. I’m thinking of Mike Leigh, Frederick Wiseman, Kelly Reichardt and Morris—particularly his early works. Their films all work in thematically profound and narratively elusive ways. It’s difficult to articulate why and how they tick. While often inaccessible to broader audiences, at first, their films possess staying power because they retain an undiluted sense of mystery even after decades of critical probing. The strings being pulled (or not pulled) remain invisible. The power of Vernon, Florida isn’t derived from the weighty subject matter, story, or even character. Its momentum and structure spring from something less tangible, even mystical. In the seams of how Morris wove seemingly disparate subjects together is where I find myself experiencing something that feels close to revelation. 

Vernon, Florida’s style was born out of a rebellion against the documentary trends of the ‘60s and ‘70s, which championed a fly-on-the-wall, observational approach with lightweight cameras and available light. Instead, Vernon, Florida is characterized by heavily orchestrated, composed, fixed frames of people looking directly towards the camera. In doing so, Morris presented a vision of nonfiction that was a dramatic departure from the dominant documentary traditions of his time. He revolutionized the “talking head” by approaching the interview and spoken word as scenes unto themselves. 

When I watch Vernon, Florida, I feel the bravery and integrity of someone redefining his medium. That sensibility is what made me excited about becoming a documentary filmmaker. 

Elizabeth Lo’s debut feature, Stray, won the Top Jury Prize at Hot Docs and nominations from the Independent Spirit Award, Critics’ Choice Award, and Cinema Eye Honors after premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2020.

Vernon, Florida is available on DVD from the Criterion Collection and for streaming on The Criterion Channel. 

Dear Documentary Community,

Just over a year ago, I began my tenure as IDA’s first Latinx executive director. I accepted the position hoping to address the systemic inequities and biases that undermine the documentary industry. But this endeavor was interrupted by numerous staff resignations, causing turmoil and confusion in the larger community. 

I humbly admit that during this period, the board and I struggled to effectively communicate to the community what was happening. This was due to the legal constraints involving confidential personnel matters. I also regret that I did not effectively manage declining staff morale while working to rebuild the senior leadership team, deliver programmatic commitments, and address the concerns of our members and the community. Today, however, IDA is on the path to addressing staff concerns and uniting our constituents. 

Some of the actions IDA has taken include hiring a human resources consultant to develop and implement best employment practices. We are now well on our way to ensuring our organization adopts policies appropriate for a nonprofit of our size. 

When 11 IDA staff members voted to form a union last March, the board and I voluntarily recognized their efforts. We embrace the unionizing process and have hired labor attorney and workers’ rights advocate Kathy Krieger to represent IDA in the bargaining process. We look forward to negotiating in good faith so that IDA can continue meeting its mission with a staff that feels supported to do so.

Our new leadership team is the most diverse and inclusive in the organization’s history. Abby Sun, Director of Artist Programs, a former programmer at True/False Film Festival, is leading the programming for Getting Real ‘22. Keisha Knight, Director of IDA Funds, co-founded Sentient.Art.Film, an organization dedicated to expanding distribution opportunities for filmmakers. Director of Development Brian J. Davis honed his fundraising skills at nonprofits that serve LGBTQ youth. Zaferhan Yumru, Director of Marketing, Communications, and Design, joins us from the New Orleans Film Society, where he helped significantly grow their audience. Louise Rosen, IDA’s Interim Managing Director has been working in independent media and the arts for over 30 years, starting her career in international film and television as Director of Sales and Co-productions at Boston PBS station WGBH, later launching her own distribution company and sales agency.

 IDA also elected new board officers and three new board members deeply committed to supporting the vital work of documentary storytellers. Led by Chris Pérez, Grace Lee, Amir Shahkhalili and Marcia Smith, the board is enacting a set of best practices under the guidance of nonprofit board consultant Tim Kittleson, whose clients have included the Academy of Motion Picture Arts Sciences and currently serves on the Outfest board as co-chair of the Governance Committee.

Throughout this period of transition, we delivered on our programmatic commitments. We concluded the open call for the Enterprise Fund, and launched The Sarowitz Project Completion Fund. We renewed our grant with the New York Community Trust, which supports the IDA Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund, and pivoted to a virtual edition of the IDA Documentary Awards when the Omicron variant prevented an in-person event. We celebrated a special set of honorees at an intimate luncheon at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival; and opened submissions for the 38th IDA Documentary Awards. 

In September the community will come together for Getting Real 2022. Our highly anticipated conference is a chance to address issues related to the present and future of the documentary field. This year’s theme, Flipping the Frame: Community, Imagination, Reverberation, encompasses the work that lies ahead of us.

We live in tumultuous times: war, mass shootings, an evolving global pandemic, a surge of hate crimes against multiple communities, and the dismantling of abortion rights in the US. We must not be seduced by misinformation, or impulses to sustain divisions. My goal for IDA and my leadership is to strive for reconciliation and restorative engagement.

In solidarity,

Rick Pérez
IDA Executive Director