Every year, journalists win awards for stories that whistleblowers made possible, often at the cost of their careers, their families, and their freedom. The 14th Annual Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival exists to change that story.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- From July 24-August 2, 2026, Capitol Hill and the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. will host the most comprehensive gathering of whistleblower advocates, documentary filmmakers, and investigative journalists in the country, timed to coincide with America's 250th anniversary and National Whistleblower Appreciation Day on July 30th.
This year's summit, themed "America 250 - Unity in the Community," often features legendary whistleblowers like Frank Serpico or Jeff Wigand alongside national policy makers like Senator Charles Grassley, Former Representative Jackie Speier, and 80+ filmmakers from12 countries presenting 40 films across four categories.
ACORN 8 is proud to partner with African American Women in Cinema (AAWIC) and the Justice Integrity Project (JIP) to present this year's award-winning event. "ACORN 8 was the first NGO to promote National Whistleblower Appreciation Day by hosting the Whistleblower Summit for Civil & Human Rights on Capitol Hill (www.WhistleblowerSummit.com), focusing on whistleblower policy and legislation more than a decade ago," said summit Co-Founder and Festival Director Marcel Reid. "This year, we are pleased to celebrate America's 250th anniversary and introduce National Whistleblower Appreciation Day to a wider national audience through the Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival, which highlights whistleblower advocates in journalism, investigative reporting, and documentary and narrative filmmaking."
The summit will explore the relationship (and tension) between sources and investigative journalists, a dynamic essential to enterprising reporting. "Whistleblowers pay a very high price for speaking truth to power and for having integrity," said summit Co-Founder and Managing Director Michael McCray. "Publishers win Pulitzers, reporters become bestselling authors, but whistleblowers often risk their lives and livelihoods with little or nothing in return."
Festival programming will feature films about whistleblowers and the First Amendment, as well as films touching on human rights issues including freedom of expression, women's rights, and discrimination. This year's slate showcases a broad array of storytelling and emerging talent from around the world.
2026 Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival -- Official Selections
Short Films
- Say Can You See -- directed by Alan J. Chriest
- D!SoRd3rEd -- directed by Corey Allen
- Poisoned Skies -- directed by Caroline Friend
- Bulosan: On American Democracy, Part 3 -- directed by Andres Luz
- Voices of Myanmar -- directed by Constantin Simon
- Bacha Bareesh, Shadows of Innocence -- directed by Najia Khaan
- Amazônia Xam BR -- directed by Rodrigo Pedroza
- Healthy Smiles, Healthy Lives -- directed by Airic Hughes
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