top of page

Officially Selected for the Festival Season 

April 2026

FLASHPOINT

FLASHPOINT

Director:

Van Spaulding

Producer:

Van Spaulding, Cevin Cathell, Carol Polisner

Writer:

Selected for the following category(s)

Best Documentary Short

FLASHPOINT takes an unflinching look into the challenges professors and students face in navigating ideological divides, administrative pressures, and the shifting boundaries of what can and can’t be said in academic spaces.


The film’s relevance is underscored by the tragic shooting of controversial speaker Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University and other highly charged events that are increasing on campuses nationwide.


FLASHPOINT examines these events within a broader conversation about academic freedom, political polarization, and the fragile state of civil discourse in higher education.

“We began filming before some of the most shocking recent events took place,” said one of the film’s producers. “But what’s happened in the last few months has only reinforced how urgent this conversation really is.”

bottom of page