Pamela Sherrod Anderson, the founder of Graceworks Theater and Film Production LLC and award-winning writer, filmmaker, and journalist, held a virtual presentation titled “Seeds for Story.” The presentation, as part of the No Malice film Contest, aims to explain the filmmaking process, from start to finish, as well as the importance of storytelling.

Anderson’s workshop is the fourth in the lecture series and it deals with her documentary, The Curators of Dixon School. The documentary features an elementary school in the heart of the Southside of Chicago where teachers made it their mission to expose the kids to works of art; the teachers did this by exhibiting it in their classrooms on a regular basis.

“It’s not [only] about learning about how to make a documentary, but also to really understand the importance of storytelling, and the effect that it can have not only on the audience that you have in mind,” says Anderson. “But, it also affects us as the storyteller. It helps us to become even more motivated and inspired by the work we feel charged to do.”

Pamela Sherrod Anderson, founder of Graceworks Theater and Film Productions LLC, is an award-winning writer, filmmaker, playwright, educator, and journalist. She is currently Board Chair of Kartemquin Films, which celebrates its 55th anniversary in 2021 and remains even more committed to social justice and democracy through documentary. Her films have been shown in national and international film festivals and are available on streaming services.