Caryn Capotosto, Dr. Chris Jones: Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute beefs up its board ahead of the 34th edition of HSDFF
The Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute (HSDFI) has announced the appointment of two distinguished new members to its Board of Directors: Caryn Capotosto from Los Angeles, CA, and Dr. Chris Jones from Arkansas. The news comes as HSDFI has begun the work toward the programming and production of this year’s 34th edition of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (HSDFF) (October 10-18, 2025), following last year’s hugely successful outing of the longest-running documentary film festival in North America.
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“We are thrilled to welcome Caryn Capotosto and Dr. Chris Jones to the HSDFI Board of Directors,” said Margaret McLarty, Board Chair. “As we continue our mission, their expertise and passion will help drive HSDFI forward in making a meaningful impact across diverse communities. We are excited to have them join us in our endeavors.”
Caryn Capotosto
Caryn Capotosto is a four-time Emmy-winning documentary producer known for Won’t You Be My Neighbor? a feature documentary about Mister Rogers that won a 2019 Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary, a Producers Guild Award and a Critics Choice Award for Best Documentary. She received a 2016 News and Documentary Emmy for her role as co-producer on Best of Enemies as well as a 2021 News and Documentary Emmy for her role as Executive Producer on the short documentary, The Love Bugs. Recent projects include the Emmy Award-winning documentary Feels Good Man (Producer, 2021), the Emmy-nominated Netflix series Ugly Delicious (Executive Producer 2019), and the Grammy-nominated Little Richard: I Am Everything (Producer, 2023), which opened the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. In 2019, Caryn founded the documentary production company Museum & Crane; Projects under that banner include Searching for Amani (2024), No One Asked You (2024), and Welcome Space Brothers (2024).
Dr. Chris Jones
A native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Dr. Chris Jones was the first African American major party nominee for Governor of the state Arkansas. Chris’s love for science took him to Morehouse College, where he earned physics and math degrees, to NASA where he interned under an astronaut and worked on a plasma rocket ship, and to MIT where he earned two master’s degrees—nuclear engineering and technology and policy—and a Ph.D. in Urban planning. The son of two preachers, his love for Christ drove him to become an ordained minister. His love for community and people opened the door for him to teach high school math, serve as an Assistant Dean for Graduate Education at MIT, run a community-based organization in Boston (The Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative), lead a maker space in Arkansas (The Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub) and eventually run for Governor of Arkansas. He recently published a 30-day devotional entitled Quantum Pearls.
The HSDFI Board, now totaling fifteen members, is dedicated to advancing the institute’s goals of fostering growth, diversity, outreach, and organizational strength, all while championing the art of nonfiction storytelling.
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The 2025 HSDFI Board Officers:
HSDFI Board Officers: Board Chair Margaret McLarty, Vice-Chair Chris Ho, Vice-Chair Kerri Jackson, Secretary Matthew Rogers, Treasurer John Horner
The 2025 HSDFI Board of Directors:
Brad Burleson, Caryn Capotosto, Kai Coggin, Neal Gladner, Ra A. Hearne, LaTricia Hill-Chandler, Dr. Chris Jones, Clint Schaff, Ben Walters, Angie Wilson
The Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute is renowned for its commitment to showcasing inspiring and thought-provoking documentaries, fostering a supportive environment for filmmakers, and engaging audiences through diverse programming. From October 10 – 18, 2025, HSDFI will present the 34th edition of the internationally acclaimed Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, the longest running documentary film festival in North America. In addition, throughout the year, the Institute curates a dynamic slate of documentary screenings and events in Hot Springs and beyond.