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Shaw Rising

2021 Emmy® – Documentary, Historical

Shaw University, the oldest Historically Black College in the South, rises from the Civil War, segregation and the Civil Rights Movement to confront the future of education and social justice in America.

Written and produced by two-time Emmy® winner Hal Goodtree. Directed and edited by Tim Finkbiner.

  • Tim Finkbiner
    Director
    Because No One Else Would
  • Hal Goodtree
    Writer
    Because No One Else Would, Once In a Blue Moon Bakery
  • Tim Finkbiner
    Writer
  • Hal Goodtree
    Producer
    Because No One Else Would, Once In a Blue Moon Bakery
  • Tim Finkbiner
    Producer
  • Donna Mitchell
    Producer
  • David C. Forbes, Sr.
    Key Cast
  • Honorable Bob Etheridge
    Key Cast
  • Dr. Crystal deGregory
    Key Cast
  • Dr. Katherine Mellon-Charron
    Key Cast
  • Michael Lomax
    Key Cast
  • John Lucas, Sr.
    Key Cast
  • Erich Pfaltzer
    Key Cast
  • Fritz Ballard
    Key Cast
  • Rev. Nilous Avery
    Key Cast
  • Carolyn Ennis
    Key Cast
  • Paulette Dillard
    Key Cast
  • Jordan Galloway
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Television
  • Genres:
    Documentary, History, Southern, HBCU
  • Runtime:
    57 minutes 20 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 27, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    150,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Emmy® Winner - Documentary, Historical
    Nashville
    United States
    Best Documentary, Historical
  • Peak City Film Festival
    Apex, North Carolina
    United States
    September 26, 2020
    Award Winner
  • Southern States Indie FanFilmFest

    September 25, 2022
    Award Winner
  • Stockholm City Film Festival
    Stockholm
    Sweden
    December 10, 2020
    Official Selection
  • SR Socially Relevant Film Festival New York
    New York City
    United States
    March 15, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Charlotte Film Festival
    Charlotte, NC
    United States
    September 26, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Tryon International Film Festival
    Tryon, NC
    United States
    October 11, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Longleaf Film Festival
    Raleigh
    United States
    May 14, 2021
    Official Selection
  • SNCC 60th Anniversary
    Raleigh, NC
    United States
    March 30, 2020
  • Broadcast Premiere / PBS North Carolina
    North Carolina
    United States
    February 27, 2020
    UNC-TV / North Carolina Public Television
Director Biography - Tim Finkbiner

Tim Finkbiner is an Emmy-award winning producer and documentary filmmaker with more than 30 years years experience. He is Chief Production Officer for Horizon Productions in Durham, North Carolina. His documentary films, which have aired on PBS, the History Channel, WORLD Channel and other outlets nationwide, focus primarily on topics of history and social justice. He won regional Emmy Awards for his work on North Carolina: Birth of a Colony and Washington National Cathedral.

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Director Statement

As a longtime resident of Raleigh, NC, I had heard of Shaw University, but knew little about it's history. Originally conceived as a documentary short to commemorate its 150th anniversary, Shaw Rising tells the inspiring story of the founding and growth of the school, the challenges it faced under Jim Crow, and the important role that HBCUs played in the Civil Rights movement and continue to play in America today. At a time when there is so much division in our country, the passion and pride of Shaw's students and alumni remind us both how far we've come and how far we've yet to go.