FEATURED FILMMAKER: VICTORIA BRITTON

Documentary filmmaking is just the latest stop on Victoria Britton’s storytelling journey. After earning a Digital Media degree from Butler University, working as a producer at a local news station, and writing and directing her own narrative films, she’s landed in the world of documentary film.

While producing the News at Noon show in her hometown of Fort Wayne, Britton reconnected with a filmmaker from her time at Butler to work on her first documentary project. “This taste of independent filmmaking sparked something inside of me that I felt compelled to follow,” she recalls. “I started volunteering at film festivals screening short films for programmers. This resulted in me meeting some of my best friends and creative colleagues.”

Inspired by her newfound community, Britton left her News Producer position to become an independent filmmaker herself, jumping headfirst into a variety of projects. “I wrote and directed a short film about my own mother’s passing,” she says. “I threw myself into producing an ultra low budget romantic comedy that would play at Heartland Film Festival. I learned how to put together a movie from the ground up with minimal resources.”

“Once I had a child in early 2024,” Britton continues, “I rediscovered my love of cinema verité documentary filmmaking. The flexibility of this style allowed me to spend more time with my family while still pursuing meaningful work. ‘Bloom,’ a story about a Ukrainian immigrant working to grow the nation’s tallest sunflower in Fort Wayne, was that project.”

Britton and her team, Derek Hockemeyer and Malakai Bisel, won the $10,000 Grand Prize at PitchDox 2024 to fund the production of “Bloom.” Hosted by Hoodox, PitchDox is the documentary film competition exclusively for Hoosiers, designed to support Indiana filmmakers in a tangible way and share their work with the community.

“I currently am pursuing my dream documentary, thanks to the support of Hoodox,” Britton says. “Having the resources to make a documentary film in my own hometown (near my family), with my friends, is the dream. ‘Bloom’ shows the ruthless pursuit of a wild passion in a world that so desperately begs us to settle for stability and safety over the interests of our heart. I believe people who watch the film will easily relate to Alex while being mesmerized by his unique qualities.”

For Britton, sharing the connection she feels to her documentary subjects with an audience is the most rewarding part of filmmaking. “I love receiving feedback from people who feel seen and heard because of my work,” she says. “It’s also incredibly rewarding when the themes, subject matter, and topics connect with audiences. When you pursue real, human stories, especially in niche environments, people who’ve maybe never seen themselves represented on screen before feel visible. This illumination allows for rich conversations and relationships that maybe otherwise wouldn’t have had a reason to bubble to the surface.”

And then there are the other Hoosier filmmakers themselves - the community that supported Britton when she first left her producer job to follow her passion and continues to inspire her today. “When I specifically think of documentary filmmaking in Indiana, I’m inspired by my friend Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian,” says Britton. “What I admire most about Sam and his work, is that he lets his passions and curiosities guide him above all else. He tells stories that are important to him, and he often elevates the voiceless - people struggling with mental health issues, addictions, homelessness, disabilities, etc.”

Hoodox is committed to providing a streaming home for the work of talented Hoosier filmmakers like Britton and Mirpoorian. “Short films, and even features, created locally and regionally could benefit from a wider audience,” Britton says. “I want more visibility for local filmmakers, more eyes on their work! There is a ton of quality content being created that isn’t being watched by enough people outside of film festivals.”

Follow Britton’s storytelling work on her website and Instagram @victoriasbritton. Watch for “Bloom” production updates on Instagram @bloom_documentary.

Photos provided by Victoria Britton.