GalaFest ‘House Party’ 2025: The Recap

Our House. Our Stories. Our Future. Our Party!

On November 11, American Documentary (AmDoc) staff came together to throw our annual GalaFest. And what a time it was!

We welcomed our community of POV, POV Shorts, and America ReFramed filmmaker alumni, supporters, industry peers and partners who gathered with us in Brooklyn to celebrate independent film, storytelling and all the incredible talent behind the films we share each season. This year’s theme tapped into the old school 1990s with a “House Party” for the ages - a joyful show of collective resistance and persistence in the face of challenges we are facing today in public media. In our house, we celebrated ourselves and each other and our organization’s ongoing commitment to continue our mission to bring high quality, bold nonfiction stories to viewers around the country and to be a leading advocate and trusted voice in the documentary field.

The centerpiece of the event was our awards ceremony featuring this year’s honorees: the Industry Trailblazer award was presented to public media philanthropy veteran Vince Stehle and the Creative Visionary awardee was POV alum Elegance Bratton (Pier Kids, POV Season 35). Stehle was introduced by noted filmmaker, host, director and executive producer (Family Pictures USA) Thomas Allen Harris while award-winning actor, director and producer Giancarlo Esposito who provided remarks for Bratton. The event was emceed by AmDoc’s Robert Salyer (Manager of Outreach & Impact) and comedian, actress, and filmmaker Arlieta Hall, who kept the GalaFest moving along with grace and humor.

Key speakers included Erika Dilday (AmDoc’s Executive Director; Executive Producer, POV, POV Shorts, and America ReFramed), Chris White (AmDoc’s VP of Programming & Production; Executive Producer, POV, POV Shorts and America ReFramed), as well as POV Alum Andrew Kolker and Louis Alvarez, the film team behind American Tongues from POV’s inaugural season and AmDoc board chair and host committee member Chris Plaut.

Some lucky folks went home with a custom AmDoc GalaFest tote bag designed by Kjell Boersma (animator/filmmaker Boat People, POV Shorts, Season 7) and raffle items included a much coveted CC40 (forty films from forty years) Criterion Collection Box Set, a framed Philly Eagles jersey signed by the quarterback Jalen Hurts, Sonos headphones, and a decades spanning box set of POV titles. Our very own AmDoc staffers Gina Basso (Communications & Station Relations Manager) and David Nanasi (IT Consultant) faced off in an epic DJ Battle as party goers hit the dance floor ‘House Party’ style! Who was the winner? Well, you had to have been there.

Staff and attendees fêted in style, expressing their most fond fashion moments of the ‘90s - everything from casual cool to retroglam. There were track suits, bucket hats, sleek attire, grunge-era flannels and some red heels to kick the party into high gear!

Check out our GalaFest party pictures to see highlights.

Special thanks to our GalaFest sponsors: Open Society Foundations, Wyncote Foundation, The Educational Foundation of America, Vimeo, Criterion, Sanzo, Jane Hirt, Play/Action Pictures, Nancy Blachman, Move to Include (WXXI Public Media), Cindy & Duke Fan, and Brown Girls Doc Mafia (BGDM).

Thank You to our Host Committee members: Jon Abbott, Anjali Kumar, Chris Plaut, Mark G. Contreras, Justine Nagan, John Bredar, Jane Hirt, Juanita Anderson, Zain Habboo, Kellie Castruita Spector, Chris Hastings, Darcy McKinnon, Beth Viner, PJ Raval and Duke Fan.

Select your own favorite House Party DJ!

Listen to Gina and David’s playlist on AmDoc’s Spotify or find the music on your preferred streaming platform:

DJ Gina Basso

Shari Vari - Original Mix by A Number of Names

Tonight by Suzy Q

Thousand Finger Man by Candido

Hypnotic Tango by My Mine

Think of You by Janet Jackson

Boogie Down Bronx by Man Parrish

It Takes Two by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock

Situation by Yazoo

Get With You by Lidell Townsell & M.T.F.

Dilo Como Yo by Chico Mann

Running Away by Roy Ayers

Let’s Do It Again by Nightlife Unlimited

Wishing on a Star by Fresh Four

Paradise by Sade

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DJ David Nanasi

Paid in Full 7 min remix by Eric B & Rakim

Killing Me Softly by The Fugees

I Know You Got Soul / I Want You Back by Eric B Rakim /Jackson 5

Give it Up by Public Enemy

It’s Your Thing by Isley Bros

Think (About It) by Lyn Collins

What a Man by Lynda Lindell

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