_The Oxford American’s 122nd issue encompasses the surprising, unique, and diverse world of Southern film. Our cover art—Lady for Television, a charcoal and acrylic piece by Nigerian artist Barry Yusufu—highlights these elements. The central figure, accompanied by a television, gazes out at the reader. Guest Editor Tayler Montague says of the image “the primary colors of Yusufu’s painting reflect those that comprise so many of the indelible images we’ve come to love in cinema. The television serves as the great equalizer and point of discovery, allowing everyone to cultivate an interest in film.”

In Issue 122, our contributors explore the cinematic range of visual work from the South. Award-winning culture reporter Jewel Wicker speaks with Miami-born, GRAMMY-nominated producer, singer, and songwriter D. Smith, whose debut film KOKOMO CITY premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. In a striking photo essay, Texas-born photographer Rahim Fortune explores how Les Blank’s documentary work has influenced his own. Meanwhile, New Orleans-based photographer Virginia Hanusik discusses the media’s relationship with oil and gas companies and the 1948 Academy Award-nominated Louisiana Story. Throughout the issue, our writers recount the films that have resonated with them throughout time and space. Returning contributor Logan Scherer reflects on Bubbeh Lee and Me, a 1996 documentary about a gay man visiting his elderly grandmother in Florida, and meditates on his own tenuous relationship with memory and place. In a personal essay coupled with cultural criticism, writer and photographer Clarissa Fragoso Pinheiro examines the complexities of language and colonialism through Brazilian Westerns. In contrast, writer and critic Kit Duckworth draws from her family history in North Carolina to contemplate the 1979 film Norma Rae. The issue extends beyond the reach of the purely personal, though; contributors delve into the very craft of creating a film. Contributing editor Jessica Lynne explores the directing work of choreographer, dancer, and actress Debbie Allen by examining her 1989 made-for-TV film Polly. Fiction writer and essayist Jeremy Steen recounts his experience on the set of Song to Song, Terrence Malick’s 2017 film about the punk music scene in Austin, Texas. National Book Award-winner Justin Phillip Reed imagines a horror movie survivors’ party through the point-of-view of famous Black girl best friends.

The 2023 Fall Issue is available now for pre-order at OxfordAmericanGoods.org. It will be on select newsstands on September 5, 2023. Or, subscribe to Oxford American by visiting OxfordAmerican.org/subscribe. For bulk orders, contact info@oxfordamerican.org or 501-374-0000.

Want to learn more about the Film Issue? Contact our editorial team for an interview at info@oxfordamerican.org.