Doc : Doc — Brittany Shyne on the Documentary Film Circuit and Sharing Her Award-Winning Film “Seeds”
Brittany Shyne holds the Full Frame Grand Jury Award. She tells us about her first time at the festival and the nine-year journey behind Seeds.
Doc : Doc is an interview series from the Duke Center for Documentary Studies (CDS), where we talk shop with documentary artists and explore the evolving field of nonfiction storytelling. Through candid conversations, we illuminate the creative process, celebrate the power of documentary and highlight the programs that make it all possible.
In this feature, we sit down with Brittany Shyne, a young filmmaker whose deeply moving and visually stunning film Seeds won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Shyne reflects on her first time at Full Frame — she first heard about it from her mentors, Steven Bognar and his late partner Julia Reichert — and how it compares to other stops on the documentary circuit. She shares insights into the journey of Seeds, the importance of community in filmmaking and the experience of screening the film with her composer, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, in front of a live audience.
Full Frame launched in 1998, and it continues to be our flagship program. Last April, Full Frame hosted more than 100 filmmakers like Shyne and Lowe in Durham to screen their films. The Call for Entries for next year’s festival closes November 15, and we invite filmmakers to submit their shorts and features.
Q: Thank you for creating and sharing Seeds — it’s so moving and beautiful. How would you describe the film and vision behind it?
Shyne: My film Seeds is a quiet and lyrical portrait of Black southern farmers. I was compelled to explore Black agrarian life in a way we haven’t seen before. The film centers on Centennial farmers — Black farmers who have owned land for over 100 years — and delves into themes of cultural preservation, heritage and legacy. It follows their day-to-day lives and the rhythms of their work, capturing small, intimate moments that reveal something profound.
“I was compelled to explore Black agrarian life in a way we haven’t seen before.”
Ultimately, it’s a portrait of love, care and family rituals and a celebration of Black farmers as stewards of the land who haven’t been duly acknowledged in our society. I hope this film helps rectify that.
Q: Thank you so much — I love having all that in your words. Congratulations on your directorial debut and the awards you’ve won this year at Sundance, in Athens, and of course, the Grand Jury Award at Full Frame. Was this your first time attending Full Frame?
Shyne: Yes, this was my first time. Steve and Julia would always brag about how special Full Frame is — how community-driven it feels. I was lucky to experience that firsthand with Seeds, and the love and graciousness from the local people and the staff. I definitely felt the southern hospitality. The programming was amazing — really thoughtful curation.
“As a filmmaker, you’re constantly traveling the festival circuit, and it’s really nice to come to a place that’s so relaxing and intimate.”
As a filmmaker, you’re constantly traveling the festival circuit, and it’s really nice to come to a place that’s so relaxing and intimate. You really get to spend time with other filmmakers and meet new people. And because the venues are all within walking distance, it’s very accessible. I think a lot of filmmakers like to travel to Full Frame because they’ve built strong relationships with the staff, and they know they’re coming to a place that feels homey.
Some festivals are a lot larger or busier, and you’re not able to connect in the way you want to. Full Frame is community-driven — one of the foundations of why Full Frame is so great.
Q: It seems like you have had a great relationship with Steve Bognar and the late Julia Reichert. Did that start at Wright State, where you studied and where Reichert taught?
Shyne: Yes, I met them when I was an undergrad at Wright State University. Being in the Midwest, it’s invaluable to have people like Steve and Julia who are so open and resourceful for documentary filmmakers. They’ve been formidable influences in my journey. They’ve always made themselves available to filmmakers, and that kind of support is rare and deeply appreciated.
Q: In the age of streaming, why do you think the theatrical experience still matters — for both filmmakers and audiences?
Shyne: As a filmmaker, nothing really compares to being able to experience your film in the audience. Every single screening is so different — you get different people attending, reacting to different scenes in ways you wouldn’t expect. There’s something so precious and valuable in being able to feel those different energies. It really can be life changing to feel all those different moments with everyone in a dark room.
You're not gonna get that experience just being in your living room or watching it on your laptop, and you're not gonna have those same types of revelations.
“Seeds is definitely a film that people should watch on the big screen.”
Seeds is definitely a film that people should watch on the big screen. Like I said, it's very kind of quiet so there's something really nice being able to really see it and listen to the sound design. There are so many little minute details that you wouldn't be able to discern just watching it at home.
Q: You attended Full Frame with your composer, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe. What did that experience mean to you, especially engaging in the Q&A together?
Shyne: It was great. A lot of people surprisingly asked about sound design and music composition throughout the film. I don’t often get to attend festivals with my team, so it was really nice to do the Q&A with Rob — who did such an incredible and remarkable job — and share our artistic reasonings for our creative decisions.
“It was really nice to do the Q&A with Rob and share our artistic reasonings for our creative decisions.”
Our film is very minimal in certain aspects, and we wanted to heighten and elevate some of these moments throughout the film with visual motifs threaded throughout. And it was nice to be able to deconstruct that through the Q&A. Rob is incredibly talented, but also just really very creative in the way he works. And I knew that I didn't really want anything traditional. I really wanted something that was evocative and that was atmospheric.
Q: What does winning the Grand Jury Award at Full Frame mean to you, personally and professionally?
Shyne: It’s really gratifying — and honestly, I was so, so surprised. It’s always the last award, and it really was unexpected. I’ve been working on this film for nine years. It’s been a long journey, and the film has taken many shapes, verged in a lot of different ways.
“I’ve been working on this film for nine years. It’s been a long journey, and the film has taken many shapes.”
It takes so much hustle and persistence to finish a film because you don't know how it's going to be received, you don't know if you're able to do things you want to do. There’s beauty to it, but there’s a lot of uncertainty — you don't know if you're gonna get financing, if your film is going to get into any festivals, there's just a lot of a lot of variables that you're always assessing.
So receiving this award feels incredibly special and it means so much to me for the film and for our team to be recognized. Every single award is so meaningful to us, and we don't take it for granted. I'm just thankful that my film is being received in such a way.
Q: What’s next for you? Do you have any new projects you’re excited about, or are you still focused on Seeds?
Shyne: Right now, I’m trying to enjoy the film and the festival circuit — reaching new audiences, meeting new people. I’ve been able to interact with so many different communities and wonderful individuals I wouldn’t have met otherwise. I’m embracing the fact that the film is finally out in the world.
The next phase is a robust impact campaign. We want to implement many community screenings, especially in rural areas, and really highlight the stories of Black farmers.
Q: One last question for those of us interested in making documentary work. You worked on Seeds for almost a decade. When did you have a vision of what the film would ultimately become?
Shyne: Since the inception, I knew I didn't want to do something completely traditional. I knew that my film was going to be non-linear, non-cyclical, not formulaic. We're experiencing these farmers day-to-day, which might not be super thrilling, but I wanted to capture their interior lives.
“I knew I was capturing something important.”
And the tapestry changes in the editing room. You've accumulated so much footage and it's really about understanding what you're binding together, how you're weaving these stories together. But I didn't know what the end product was going to be because so many things — some people passed away, and then other characters, participants I met later on, so it took on many different shapes. But I knew I was capturing something important.
You don't really know the end project, you just know that there's something calling you to do this story, and to have faith. And I think it's just embracing the process, having the will to keep continuing, you know, and trusting your instincts.
Help Full Frame Support Filmmakers and Foster Connection Through Film
Full Frame is committed to hosting and honoring filmmakers and creating space for meaningful exchange — through Q&As, free Speakeasy Conversations, and informal gatherings that connect artists directly with audiences. These interactions elevate the films and make the festival experience unforgettable.
In 2025, Full Frame invested over $135,000 to support filmmaker travel, accommodations and screening fees, and provided $45,000 in cash awards. To help sustain this commitment to documentary artists, CDS invites you to join us to support the festival’s mission.
- Explore the brand-new 1998 Society, Full Frame’s new membership program that comes with benefits like personalized ticket booking, Festival Lounge access and invitations to special events.
- Contact Development Manager Jamie Webb at jamie.webb@duke.edu to learn more about sponsoring artists, supporting signature programs or contributing to Full Frame’s artistic vision.
Top image: Brittany Shyne holds the Full Frame Grand Jury Award 2025 for her film Seeds. Photo: Kaylin Tsukayama
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