Ethan Payne
Directing
Biography
Ethan Payne is a documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Atlanta, Ga. His work has been featured in Pitchfork, Stereogum, Oxford American, Southern Foodways Alliance, and The Bitter Southerner. His short films have been included in festivals internationally, winning several awards. In 2022, his film “We Dance” played Tribeca and won awards in additional festivals throughout the year. In 2021, he received the Director’s Spotlight Award for “We Travel” at the Ouray International Film Fest, as well as the Short Stories Award at the Washington DC Intl Film Festival and Best Short Documentary at the Berlin Independent Film Fest. His short “Lou” won Best Editing at the Ouray International Film Fest. In 2022, his short “Bright Morning Stars” won the Judge’s Award at Boone Docs. The Green Flash is his first feature-length documentary film.
Known For
In St. Pete Beach, FL, 70-year-old Steve Lamb knows everybody, and everybody knows Steve Lamb. As he pedals his memoir, “The Smuggler’s Ghost: When Marijuana Turned a Florida Teen Into a Millionaire Fugitive,” we learn how he garnered local fame decades ago—and how he intends to keep it.
The Green Flash
Ethan Payne’s documentary captures the rapport between musician Lonnie Holley and the late producer/musician Richard Swift, two men separated by decades in age, but united in spirit. Spanning two recording sessions, this half-hour chronicle shows the making of Holley's National Freedom EP.
From the Edge of America
We Dance is a love story, deconstructed and distilled into its most elemental ingredients: dreams, memories, family, and environments.