New Castle County Documentaries Earn Regional Emmy And National Film Festival Honors

The New Castle County production team holds their Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award for “Restless Ground: The Untold Story of Mt. Olive.” (Photo courtesy of the Office of Gov. Matt Meyer)

WILMINGTON — Two New Castle County–produced documentaries exploring Delaware’s legacy of racial justice have captured top honors, including a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award.

On Saturday, September 20, the team earned its second win in four years at the 2025 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.

The documentary “Restless Ground: The Untold Story of Mt. Olive” won in the Diversity/Equity/Inclusion Long-Form category, which “honors excellence in content focused on topics including racism, discrimination, inequity, marginalized communities and similar social injustices, notably focused on efforts to raise awareness or affect positive change,” according to the contest’s 2025 call for entries.

“This story is about truth, justice, and honoring the lives and legacies of people too long overlooked,” Governor Matt Meyer said. “I am deeply proud of the team that brought this story forward and grateful to the Mother Africa Union Church community for trusting us with it. Telling even our hardest, cruelest Delaware history can spark change and build a more just future.”

Restless Ground: Honoring Mt. Olive’s Legacy

Produced by Meyer, Deputy Director of Strategic Communications Kyle Grantham, and others in partnership with 1440 Film Co., “Restless Ground” explores the history of Mt. Olive Cemetery.

The film examines the impact of institutional racism on those buried there, New Castle County’s work with the Mother African Union Church and Trust for Public Land to restore dignity after decades of neglect, and the personal connection discovered by one man who had long maintained the property.

“I’m incredibly honored that ‘Restless Ground’ was recognized and thankful for the amazing colleagues I was fortunate to partner with in telling this story,” Grantham said. “This project was something I worked on for three years, and it couldn’t have become a reality without our crew at 1440, or the Mt. Olive community opening up and sharing their stories with us.”

Return to Hockessin No. 107C: A Story of Desegregation

Another New Castle County production, “Return to Hockessin No. 107C,” is gaining national recognition. Produced with Bowstring, the documentary has been screened at several film festivals across the country and won Best Documentary Short at the Newark Independent Film Festival in August.

The film was also nominated for a 2025 Mid-Atlantic Emmy in the Historical/Cultural Long-Form category and accepted to the Diamond State Black Film Festival, Independent Shorts Awards, and Micheaux Film Festival.

“Return to Hockessin No. 107C” tells the story of Hockessin Colored School No. 107C and its role in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case. Former students recall the closure of their school and the backlash they faced in their community. The film also chronicles efforts to preserve the abandoned building, giving those students a chance to return decades later.