The Mississippi Delta: Dreams and Reality

What do you picture when you think about the South? It’s a beautiful, complicated, and unique swath of this country, but it can sometimes be treated as one-dimensional. The filmmaker Jon Jenkins—who grew up in the South and strives to represent it in all of its complexity—is making a short documentary to tell a more intimate story of a stereotyped region. “The Mississippi Delta: Dreams and Reality” will follow the daily lives of five people living in the Mississippi Delta area. Through interviews and personal vignettes, the film will, as Jon puts it, “underscore the significance of family and religion and the fundamental truth that regardless of our political affiliations or convictions, we really do need each other.” 

Our grant will help Jon pay the fees associated with submitting the film to festivals and will cover post-production expenses so that he can focus on making the documentary as rich and textured as possible. Jon says, “Working on this project has allowed me to collaborate with my family in an intimate way, bringing us closer while fueling my artistic passion.” Art can take people to incredible places. Sometimes, it can help bring us home.