EVERGREEN
February 2026
Stories do not end in darkness.
They linger—
in classrooms where instruments are repaired by hand,
in scholarships that quiet the noise of survival,
in voices learning they are allowed to return,
to heal,
to be heard.
Evergreen is about what happens next
What’s to come
And what can still happen now.
About films that move
from screen to street,
from memory to motion—
where legacy becomes practice,
and impact finds a home.
You’ll meet stories of redemption and reckoning,
of childhoods shaped by silence,
of brilliance carried in the margins,
of faith, forgiveness, and the courage to begin again.
You’ll find campaigns that refuse to look away—
that protect what is wild,
that name what is broken,
that ask us not just to watch,
but to respond.
Stories have a way of taking root
They remind us that when we pay attention,
when we invest
when we see
when we listen
we carry something forward that always gives back.
THE STORY AFTER THE STORY
Films that are still making a difference
The Oscar®-winning short documentary The Last Repair Shop (Searchlight Pictures, 2023) shined a long-overdue spotlight on one of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)’s most extraordinary programs: its Central Musical Instrument Shop. Since 1959, the Shop has repaired over 130,000 instruments each year –free of charge– ensuring that every student, regardless of background, can access the transformative power of music. In a district where 82% of students live below the poverty line, it’s a deeply human example of what public education can look like when equity is treated as a priority.
Building on the film’s momentum, the LAUSD Education Foundation has partnered with the filmmakers to expand the Shop’s impact through a new apprenticeship program and upgraded tools and facilities. The $4.4M raised so far is helping secure the Shop’s future by expanding training for new technicians. And at a recent event, world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma even performed with students. A big reminder that when stories move people, real people benefit.
And more good news from the filmmakers: Co-director Ben Proudfoot just took home the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival for his upcoming title, The Baddest Speechwriter of All.
The 2024 biopic Bob Marley: One Love (Paramount) celebrates Bob Marley not only as a global music icon but more importantly, his enduring legacy of unity, justice, and peace. That spirit was realized last year through the Bob Marley: One Love Social Impact Scholarship, launched in partnership with Paramount Pictures and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Ten Historically Black College and University (HBCU) students received $5,000 scholarships each to support degrees in community organizing, nonprofit management, public policy, or other social-impact focused fields.
Gabrielle Frost, a student at Florida A&M University, said she was grateful to have been able to fully focus on her studies without having a job– “It was a blessing”. Congratulations to her and the other scholarship recipients who are already stepping into leadership, service and impact within their communities. Check out Paramount’s other social impact initiatives on Instagram: @paramountsocialimpact.
OUT NOW & COMING SOON
UNDERCARD is a gritty, intimate drama about redemption, accountability, and the courage it takes to return and make amends. The film follows a former boxing champion and recovering alcoholic (Wanda Sykes) who reenters the life of the son she abandoned—just as his career hangs in the balance.
Director Tamika Miller told us, “UNDERCARD was always conceived as a story about a mother’s quest for redemption, with the male-dominated world of boxing as its backdrop. I was drawn to the idea of a woman fighting to reclaim her place in both arenas—inside the ring as a trainer, and outside it as a parent determined to earn her way back to her family. While the film touches on addiction and the damage it can leave behind, at its core UNDERCARD is about accountability, resilience, and the difficult, necessary work of starting again. At a moment when conversations about motherhood, second chances, and what it truly takes to make amends are coming into sharper focus, this story feels especially timely. UNDERCARD opens in theaters February 27.
Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It (White Horse Pictures, 2026) is an exhilarating documentary about the legendary musician whose signature sound shaped the work of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Ray Charles, Sly Stone, Aretha Franklin, and countless others – even as his own name often faded into the background.
But the documentary also looks honestly at the cost of that brilliance. Despite his success, Preston’s life was marked by profound personal battles, including childhood abuse, addiction, run-ins with the law, and the weight of reconciling his faith with his sexuality. By holding artistic legacy and human struggle in the same frame, the film invites deeper conversations about identity, acceptance, and what it means to be fully seen. Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It opens at Film Forum in NYC on February 20, followed by a North American rollout.
Suspenseful, tender and lyrical, IF I TELL YOU is a coming of age drama that follows Michael and his friends as they relish in the carefree joys of early adolescence. Then one day Michael’s mom comes home with a black eye and a busted lip and no one will explain why. Unlike other stories about domestic violence, this film looks at a rarely explored angle: the child left trying to make sense of the silence. Filmmaker Jennifer Manocherian put it simply: “our aim was to show the impact of assault from the point of view of a boy at the cusp of figuring out what it means to be a man.”
The film is already making a difference by partnering with RAINN, the nation’s largest anti- sexual violence organization. From now until February 9, you can rent the film on GATHR for $25 and enjoy an exclusive Q&A panel discussion and behind the scenes clips, with 50% of the proceeds directly benefitting RAINN.
FEATURED IMPACT CAMPAIGNS
Still Hope – premiering in theatres today– tells a story rarely told on screen: what healing looks like after survival. Inspired by true stories, the film follows a young woman rebuilding her life after escaping sex trafficking. It bears witness to the long, complicated process of reclaiming oneself after profound trauma, and the restorative power of forgiveness.
We had the chance to chat with director Richie Johns, who spoke to the film’s authenticity: “We worked closely with the two survivors who inspired the story and partnered with Kathrine Lee from the Pure Hope Foundation to shape realistic recovery scenes. It feels real because it was informed by the people doing the work.” By centering resilience, forgiveness, and community care, the film invites audiences to move beyond awareness toward meaningful engagement.
What better time to launch a film like this than the Year of the Horse? Horse Power is an epic IMAX®/Giant Screen documentary that celebrates the extraordinary power of horses and their enduring bond with humanity. From wild mustangs roaming the Nevada desert to service and therapy horses whose quiet strength transforms lives, the film captures the beauty, power, and emotional intelligence of these extraordinary animals at an awe-inspiring scale.
Created in partnership with American Wild Horse Conservation, the film highlights the cultural and ecological importance of wild horses. The campaign includes a global education and outreach initiative to bring the story of wild horses into classrooms and communities worldwide while confronting the urgent threats they face today. The film will debut in IMAX® and Giant Screen theaters worldwide in early 2026.
SHUFFLE (Avocado Films, 2025) is a searing investigation into the billion-dollar addiction treatment industry, exposing how people seeking help are instead trapped in a system designed to keep them sick. Told through the lens of his own recovery, the filmmaker uncovers a web of fraud and greed– with devastating consequences for those already at their most vulnerable.
Inspired by the documentary, the #StopTheShuffle campaign aims to turn outrage into action through a national initiative focused on public awareness, education, and policy reform. Partnering with universities, legal clinics, and community organizations across the country, the campaign uses screenings and discussions to empower audiences to demand accountability and to reimagine systems of care rooted in ethics, transparency, and dignity. SHUFFLE is in theaters now.
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