Our film slate spans narratives that uncover forgotten histories, amplify personal journeys of resilience, and explore the intersections of activism, culture, and innovation. We don’t have all the answers, but we’ve been looking everywhere.
DOCUMENTARY SLATE 2026
BLACK SOIL
DIRECTOR: Nicholas Weissman & Caitlin Ochs
FORMAT: Documentary Short
STATUS: Completed | All Rights Available
FUNDING GAP: $30K Impact Funding
TRAILER: https://f.io/bjTV4g88
On land secured through a nearly forgotten government program 86 years ago, father and son Herbert and Trentis Allen use regenerative farming to restore the soil, uplift their community, and cultivate a legacy for generations of Black farmers to come.
BLACK SOIL is a multigenerational story of resilience, land, and legacy in the Mississippi Delta. Through an unprecedented late 1930s New Deal program, the Allens acquired land and planted roots alongside 42 other Black families near Yazoo City on what turned out to be some of the richest soil in the country. Through decades when Black farmers across the country lost more than 90 percent of the 16 million acres of farmland held in 1910, the Allens grew their farm to 500 acres. Now Herbert Allen Jr. and his son Trentis are leading its transition to regenerative farming, blending modern training with ancestral knowledge. BLACK SOIL is a powerful portrait of family, stewardship, and the enduring contributions of Black farmers regenerating the Delta.
Skyhawk
The teenager who ended the Cold War.
DIRECTOR: Nicholas Weissman & Joost Engelberts
FORMAT: Documentary Feature
STATUS: Post Production
FUNDING GAP: $250K Finishing Funds
TRAILER: https://f.io/mENqyjBv
In 1987, Mathias Rust, an audacious West German teenager, pulled off one of the most astonishing acts of defiance in modern history. Against all odds, he commandeered a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, a modest single-engine plane, and flew from Hamburg, Germany, across the heavily fortified Iron Curtain into Soviet Russia. His target? The heart of the Cold War's most impenetrable stronghold: Moscow's Red Square. By landing there, Rust ignited a chain reaction that helped unravel the Soviet Union's iron grip on global politics. His journey defied every conceivable obstacle. Navigating a labyrinth of radar detection, military checkpoints, and hostile airspace, Rust should have been stopped long before reaching his destination. He should not have survived. And he certainly should not have become a catalyst for the fall of a superpower. Yet, incredibly, he did.
SKYHAWK is a feature documentary that delves deep into the extraordinary odyssey of Mathias Rust. It’s a poetic exploration of radical activism, drenched in the vibrant aesthetics of 1980s pop culture and infused with a "sci-fi realism" that captures the surreal stakes of his mission. Through the eyes of a visionary yet deeply conflicted young man, this film reveals how one improbable act of courage reshaped the course of history. Rust's story is not just a tale of rebellion; it's a tribute to the audacity of youthful dreams and the enduring power of a single, world-altering idea.
DIRECTOR: Inês Pedrosa e Melo
FORMAT: Documentary Short
STATUS: Completed
FUNDING GAP: $25K Impact Funds
Drawing from an archive of letters written in the 1960s, the film reimagines women’s clandestine journeys across the United States to Mexican border towns to access underground abortion care. The film connects these historical journeys to the present-day post-Dobbs reality, tracing abortion access through distance, logistics, and landscape, focusing on lived experience rather than overt political argument.
The Dark Knot at the Center
DIRECTOR: Soraya Simi
FORMAT: Documentary Feature
STATUS: Completed
FUNDING GAP: $50K Impact Funds
TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7Mub02_SQo
ROW OF LIFE begins and ends with Angela Madsen. Her life reads like a parable of resilience, beginning with the backstory of her childhood as a closeted gay woman, to a botched surgery during her time in the Marine Corps that left her paralyzed and homeless, to her remarkable rise to adaptive sports superstar as a 3x Paralympian and 14x Guinness World Record holder, and finally to her attempt to row across the Pacific Ocean alone. In April 2020, amidst a global pandemic and lockdown, Angela set off in her 20’ ocean rowing boat, RowofLife, affixed with everything she needed to be totally self-reliant for 100 days across 2,500 miles of open ocean from Los Angeles to Hawaii. If she achieved this, Angela, at 60, would’ve been the oldest woman, openly queer athlete, and only paraplegic to do so. Despite having already rowed every ocean, this was Angela’s most ambitious goal yet, and she intended to retire from ocean-rowing once completed. Except Angela never made it.
A Paralympian & Marine Veteran rows the Pacific Ocean alone.
Row of Life
A City in the Forrest
In Atlanta, a vibrant and diverse coalition rises to defend a vital urban forest from "Cop City," a proposed project to construct the nation’s largest police training facility. This film shines a light on one of today’s most urgent social justice battles, capturing the convergence of land defense, police abolition, and climate activism. It’s a powerful story of resistance against police militarization, systemic violence, and the unchecked influence of corporate interests. Anchoring the film is the tragic death of Manuel "Tortuguita" Terán, a forest defender shot 52 times by police during a raid on the encampment. Tortuguita’s killing becomes a defining moment, galvanizing the movement and casting a searing spotlight on state violence. Their legacy is carried forward by their mother, who transforms her grief into a relentless pursuit of justice, becoming a powerful voice for the movement and a symbol of resistance.
DIRECTOR: Lev Omelchenko & Nolan Huber
FORMAT: Documentary Feature
STATUS: Completed
FUNDING GAP: $50K Impact Funds
INTERNATIONAL OCEAN FILM TOUR
International Ocean Film Tour
2027 Touring Film Festival
Vacationland Films is proud to serve as the exclusive U.S. partner for the 2027 International Ocean Film Tour, bringing this globally celebrated film series to audiences across five major American cities: Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, and Honolulu. Featuring a curated selection of extraordinary films exploring ocean adventure, marine conservation, and the powerful connection between people and the sea, the tour celebrates the beauty, resilience, and importance of our oceans. As the exclusive U.S. partner, Vacationland Films will lead the tour's American expansion, overseeing event production, local partnerships, sponsorships, and audience engagement.
We invite a select group of founding sponsors to join us in bringing
this extraordinary experience to American audiences.
This is a unique opportunity for brands and organizations to align with world-class storytelling, ocean stewardship, and a passionate community of adventure enthusiasts, environmental advocates, and coastal audiences. Through prominent brand visibility, meaningful on-site activations, and integrated marketing opportunities across all five cities, our partners will play a defining role in launching and shaping the future of the International Ocean Film Tour in the United States.
FORMAT:
Festival Series
STATUS:
PreProduction