Villanova Student Documentary, “Seeds We Bury,” Named a Finalist for Student Academy Award

VILLANOVA, Pa. (July 23, 2026) - A film produced by a team of Villanova University undergraduates from the Department of Communication's Social Justice Documentary program has officially been named a finalist in the 53rd Annual Student Academy Awards' Documentary Category. Their entry, "Seeds We Bury," is the fifth Villanova project to receive this distinction, with the most recent, "Sankofa," winning gold in the Documentary/Domestic Film Schools Category in 2019.

A 33-minute motion picture created by the student-led company Pinctada Pearl Productions, "Seeds We Bury" is a story of indigeneity told through a tapestry of voices from the Ati and Shinnecock peoples. Beginning with the leader of the Ati tribe in the Philippines, Delsa Justo, and transitioning to voices from the Shinnecock Nation in the United States, the film uses generational storytelling to depict the challenges indigenous populations experience around the world.

"My students have created a film that invites reflection, sparks meaningful conversations and reminds us that the seeds planted by our ancestors continue to grow into the strong foundations of our communities and identities," said Hezekiah L. Lewis III, MFA, associate professor of Communication and faculty coordinator of the Social Justice Documentary program. "I'm so proud of this talented group and grateful to everyone who watches, shares and supports their work."

"The parallel story shows how two nations that are far apart geographically share a history and a present that are so similar," added Autumn Coard '26 CLAS, who facilitated connections and interviews with members of the Shinnecock community. "The Pinctada Pearl Productions team were able to explain that through film in a beautiful way."

With their project's selection as a Student Academy Awards finalist, the "Seeds We Bury" filmmakers join elite company. Past winners have gone on to receive 70 Oscar nominations and have won or shared 15 awards. Among their number are Robert Zemeckis, Patricia Riggen and Spike Lee.