With the countdown to True/False Film officially on, Ragtag Film Society is thrilled to announce Farihah Zaman as its new Artistic Director. Farihah brings twenty years of industry experience to the role, as a documentary filmmaker as well as a curator, critic, and leader of artist development programs. In recent years she served as the Production Manager at Field of Vision, the journalistically driven documentary platform founded by Laura Poitras, as well as Director of Grants and Fellowships at Brown Girls Doc Mafia, where they developed and led the Sustainable Artist and Black Directors fellowships that continue to be cornerstones of the organization’s programming today.
Working with RFS Executive Director Andrea Luque Káram, Zaman will lead the creative teams of the Fest, including the film, art, and music programs, as well as artist development programs like the Confluence Fellowship which launched in 2023 to provide support and resources to Midwestern filmmakers on the cusp of completing a film. Luque Káram says of RFS’s most recent hire: “I see in Farihah a leader who is passionate about pushing curatorial boundaries with the utmost sensitivity to the different groups her work serves. I can’t wait to see all participants of our Fest—from the local to the global— witness their artistic vision.”
Founded in 2004, True/False has gained a reputation as a premiere documentary film festival over its 20+ year history for both its Midwestern warmth and curatorial excellence that embraces experimentation and provokes real reflection on what nonfiction can be. Zaman is following Yance Ford (Strong Island, Power), who served as Visiting Artistic Director for True/False 2026 after the departure of Chloé Trayner. “Farihah Zaman is stepping into this role at a critical moment, and I’m thrilled that Ragtag Film Society has made such an outstanding choice,” says Ford. “Farihah brings a clear point of view, deep experience across curation and artist support, and an understanding of the Midwest as a place with its own cultural force. She’s a builder, and I’m excited to see what she grows from here.”
In 2022, Zaman worked with the Museum of the Moving Image to create the ongoing monthly screening series Infinite Beauty: Muslim and MENASA Identity Onscreen, where she’s brought the work of filmmakers like Jafar Panahi, Cherien Dabis, and Payal Kapadia to the long-running New York institution. She has also programmed screenings for The Academy Museum in Los Angeles, Anthology Film Archives, and Brooklyn’s BAM Cinematek, where she created the ingenious limited series SWEAT! which celebrates perspiration onscreen.
“The creative, social, and political ethos of True/False has shaped how I think about art and community building since I first attended in 2012,” Zaman shared. “I believe the importance of cultural institutions, particularly in times of upheaval, cannot be overstated. True/False remains so vibrant and vital because it evolves to meet the moment, year after year, while also staying true to – and in fact drawing strength from – its distinct local identity. ”
Zaman’s work as a director and producer has screened at True/False as well as Sundance, MoMA, NYFF, Tribeca, and SXSW, among others. Their latest film, The Great Experiment, produced with Directors Steve Maing (Union, Crime + Punishment) and Eric Metzgar (The Chances of the World Changing, Reporter) will have its world premiere at this year’s Fest on Friday, March 6th. The screening follows a panel at Based on a True Story (BOATS), the free conference organized by University of Missouri’s Murray Center for Documentary Journalism, in which Zaman, Ford, and Luque Káram will discuss the future of Fest.
David Wilson, co-founder and board member: “Beyond all of her experience and curatorial acumen, Farihah understands the DNA of True/False, of what makes this fest singular, in a profound way. I couldn’t be more excited to see where she takes things.” The 2026 True/False Film Fest will take place March 5- 8 in Columbia, MO. For more information, visit truefalse.org