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‘GLENDORA’ (DWF NY 2026) Small town history lesson for all.

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DWFNY26 logoGLENDORA

Glendora still

The DWF NY 2026 documentary delivers a portrait of a small village in the Mississippi Delta. GLENDORA follows the lives of a community steeped in the true identity of America. It shows the good, the bad, the ugly, and the hope of a population often forgotten about.
 
Glendora is the epitome of tight-knit. They honor the past and present every single day. They cherish relationships on a level that Gilmore Girls fans would envy. Their annual event on May 30th finds the community celebrating with food, bounce houses, balloons, and music. The day is called J Day, named after a 23-year-old killed by violence. A group of young creatives in town makes music with the understanding that they are the sole purveyors of their success. Prom is celebrated with the same enthusiasm as a bustling city, complete with balloons and parade floats, even if only a few. The adults involved with Partners In Development (PID), a nonprofit organization in town focused on kids, see how early intervention can change everything.
 
Children playing in Isabelle Armand's GLENDORA (Credit_ Isabelle Armand)The oldest generation speaks about the legacy of Emmett Till and the importance of passing on that history from one generation to the next. Glendora created the Emmett Till museum in 2005 as a way to apologize to the Till family for their lack of engagement. They recount the abhorrent entitlement of white people and the aggression and violence they brought to the doorsteps of the African American community members.
 
Tamiris Lourenço‘s intimate editing and filmmaker Isabelle Armand‘s camerawork, the sit-down interviews on a front porch, the static shots on the corner of a room at PID, in a field, or at a wedding, all create a sense of affection for the townfolk. You feel as if you know them all. That’s what makes the film’s final moment hit the hardest. Armand includes an in memoriam list of locals, and the names and images are a one-two punch to the heart that ignites a deep contemplation.
 
Florida B. Smith in Isabelle Armand's GLENDORA (Credit_ Isabelle Armand)Glendora is a snapshot of America’s authentic history of racial atrocities and economic disparity, but the strength of Black culture, excellence, empathy, and community shine brightest in Glendora. Their genuine pride is infectious. This country can learn from its relentless spirit to equally honor the past and change the future.
 

Isabelle Armand’s powerful documentary GLENDORA will have its World Premiere at Dances With Films: NY THIS WEEK



Feature Documentary Film
(World Premiere, 74 mins)
A film by: Isabelle Armand and Glendora Collaborative

DWF: NY 2026 OFFICIAL SCREENINGS

Friday, January 16 at 4:45 PM
Location: Regal Union Square (850 Broadway, New York, NY 10003)

In the heart of the Mississippi Delta, the village of Glendora may seem quiet and remote. But beneath its stillness lies a vibrant, tightly knit African-American community whose strength, resilience, and creativity thrive despite chronic scarcity. GLENDORA is the result of five years of close collaboration between filmmaker and townspeople—an intimate portrait of life where economic fragility meets profound cultural wealth.

Told through the voices of multiple generations, the film weaves personal testimonies with daily rituals—birthdays, graduations, weddings, funerals— capturing the rhythm of a town that continuously rises above its circumstances. As the Mississippi landscape shifts, so do the stories, revealing both the universality of human experience and the distinct textures of rural Southern life.

More than a place, GLENDORA reflects a larger American history shaped by racial injustice, economic neglect, and structural inequality. The film underscores the community’s efforts to stay connected and shape its future amid ongoing challenges.

GLENDORA is a film made with—and by—the people who live there. It amplifies voices too often unheard, offering a powerful story of culture, resilience, creativity, and collective memory from a town long overlooked—but not easily forgotten.

ISABELLE ARMAND (Filmmaker, Cinematographer, Writer)

Isabelle Armand is a New York–based documentary photographer and filmmaker whose work interweaves photography, film, and oral testimonies to explore the complex layers of people whose histories, lives, and potential have long been undervalued. Her acclaimed book Levon and Kennedy: Mississippi Innocence Project (powerHouse Books, 2018), which documents the wrongful convictions of two men, has received wide recognition. Her images are held in the collections of the Brooklyn Museum, Akron Art Museum, and Portland Museum of Art. Armand’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Art in America, The Economist, The Daily Beast, and others. She recently completed her first feature documentary, Glendora, and is currently editing a photo book by the same title.

GLENDORA WEBSITE

Railroad Tracks in Isabelle Armand's GLENDORA (Credit_ Isabelle Armand)

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