Hot Springs Documentary Festival Director Ken Jacobson Joins Deadline's Doc Talk
Ken Jacobson, executive director of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, is the guest on the latest episode of Deadline's Doc Talk podcast, published on 4 November 2026. The show is hosted by John Ridley and Matt Carey, and it is produced by Deadline and Ridley's Nō Studios.
The festival runs for nine days in Arkansas. Deadline describes it as the longest-running nonfiction cinematic event in North America. It began in collaboration with the Motion Picture Academy, the organisation behind the Oscars, to show Oscar-nominated and Oscar-winning documentaries. The festival's website lists its 35th edition for 9 to 17 in 2026.
The episode also marks a first for the festival. It partnered with Deadline on its first-ever Documentary Roundtable, which brought together directors Biljana Tutorov, Poh Si Teng and Michał Marczak, along with producer Liani Greaves. Matt Carey, Deadline's senior documentary editor, is one of the podcast's two hosts.
The selection includes films that Deadline calls Oscar contenders: Once Upon a Time in Harlem, NAZA, American Doctor, Closure and To Hold a Mountain. An Oscar contender is a film in the running for a nomination from the Academy, although the final list of nominees is chosen later by voters.
Jacobson's role covers much of the work behind the screenings. The festival's website says he oversees all aspects of the event, including fundraising, sponsor relations and programme development, which means choosing the films. The festival announced his appointment in August 2023, and the October 2023 edition was the first under his leadership. The 2025 festival, which ran from 10 to 18 October, was his third.
The festival has a track record of high-profile titles. Its 2024 lineup included world premieres and a new documentary from Jennifer Lawrence, along with one from Hillary and Chelsea Clinton. Last year's Doc Talk edition covering the festival also included a segment on the film Natchez.
For documentary fans, the episode offers a look at how a long-running festival is put together. Jacobson's job is to bring films, filmmakers and funding into one place each autumn, and the podcast gives him a chance to explain how that works.
