Comforting Myths Clash with Brutal History in Award-Winning “Natchez”

May 8, 2026

Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode are Suzannah Herbert and Darcy McKinnon, the director and producer of the award-winning documentary “Natchez,” which will air on PBS on May 11 as part of the Independent Lens Series.
 
The film is also currently available for VOD streaming on multiple platforms including Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube TV.
 
Winner of the best documentary feature award at the 2025 Tribeca film festival, “Natchez” captures an unsettling clash between history and memory in a small Mississippi town; it’s a layered mosaic of people contending with the weight of the past in a place where it is always present. 
 
Equal parts amusing and disturbing, “Natchez” grapples with a deeply troubled history that is so thoroughly ingrained in its present, we’re left to wonder if it’s actually past at all.
 

Suzannah Herbert is a documentary director and editor from Memphis whose directing work focuses on the American South. Herbert directed and produced the twice Emmy-nominated film “Wrestle.” As an editor, she has collaborated on various Bob Dylan, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga projects, music videos and award-winning films. “Natchez” is her second documentary feature.
 
Darcy McKinnon is a documentary filmmaker based in New Orleans whose work focuses on the American South and the Caribbean. Her work has been seen on the World Channel, POV, and Hulu and has screened at Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, and more.
 
Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.
 

About the host: http://www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/
 
Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead