Among the Participants in 19th Annual Festival of Documentary Film:
Senator Amy Klobuchar, Morgan Neville, Garrett Bradley, Dawn Porter
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 28, 2021, WASHINGTON, DC — The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced the AFI DOCS 2021 Award Winners, concluding the six-day festival, with screenings presented online and in-person at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. The festival’s Audience Award for Best Feature went to STORM LAKE, directed by Jerry Risius and Beth Levison. The Audience Award for Best Short went toSHELTER, directed by Smriti Mundhra.
This year’s voting jury for the competitive Short Films slate was comprised of Mike Attie, award-winning filmmaker and professor of film at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia; Greta Hagen-Richardson, Director of Programming at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival and Lead Features Programmer at the New Orleans Film Festival; and Yvonne Ashley Kouadjo, Associate Producer for The New York Times’ award-winning short documentary series Op-Docs.
The Grand Jury Prize for Short Films went to RED TAXI, directed byAnonymous. The jury said of RED TAXI: “For its creative and accessible approach to telling a story from the perspective of those living and working in a moment of political upheaval, we award the Shorts Grand Jury Prize to RED TAXI. The courage of the anonymous filmmaker struck us for their commitment to depicting the nuances of reality on the ground.” The Shorts Grand Jury Prize at AFI DOCS is a qualifying award for Academy Award® eligibility.
The jury also awarded the Special Jury Prize to two films: THE COMMUNION OF MY COUSIN ANDREA, directed by BrandánCerviño Abeledo, saying,
“For its ability to tell a reflexive story with levity and tenderness, we award a Special Jury Prize to THE COMMUNION OF MY COUSIN ANDREA”; and S P A C E S (M E Z E R Y), directed by Nora Štrbová, saying, “For its intelligent use of multi-dimensional media in telling a fraught, emotional story, we award a Special Jury Prize to S P A C E S (M E Z E R Y).”
The 19th edition of AFI DOCS presented a diverse slate of 78 films from 23 countries, shedding light on overlooked stories from the past, honoring champions of change and giving us glimpses into the everyday lives of subjects close to home and around the world. This year, 52% of AFI DOCS films were directed by women, 40% by BIPOC directors and 18% by LGBTQ directors.
Among the festival participants were filmmakers and notables including Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar; Academy Award®winners Morgan Neville, Sean Fine, Andrea Nix Fine and Mark Ronson; Academy Award®-nominated filmmakers Julie Cohen, Betsy West and Steve James; Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Art Cullen; award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter; Emmy® Award winner Chris Nee; CNN political contributor and host Van Jones; author and The New Yorker contributor Jelani Cobb; filmmaker and actor Sonja Sohn; musician and filmmaker Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson; Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Curator Dwandalyn Reece; President of the African American Film Critics Association Gil Robertson; Georgetown University Professor Dr. Janet Mann; rapper KYLE; and son of late comedian and activist Dick Gregory Christian Gregory.
The festival’s panels and discussions provided filmmakers, film subjects and audiences the opportunity to delve deeper into the films with conversations led by some of the nation’s top journalists, including: NBC News Correspondent Morgan Radford; NBC News’ Meet the Press Moderator and NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd; NBC News Correspondent Anne Thompson; MSNBC Correspondent Trymaine Lee; Variety’s Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis; Axios Justice and Race Reporter Russell Contreras; Senior Segment Producer of WGN Morning News and WGN’s Entertainment Producer Tyra Martin; entertainment journalist & TV producer KJ Matthews; CQ Roll Call Deputy Editor Jason Dick andHealth Care Editor Rebecca Adams; and The Washington Post’s Managing Editor for Diversity and Inclusion Krissah Thompson, Chief Film Critic Ann Hornaday, Global Opinions writer Jason Rezaian, National Security Editor Peter Finn, Religion Reporter Michelle Boorstein, and Host and Editor of Food Video Mary Beth Albright.
This year’s inaugural DOCS Talks programming included the World Premiere of Netflix’s and Higher Ground’s WE THE PEOPLE, as well as “History Is Out of the Closet: Excavating Queer Stories for the Screen,” a live stream conversation celebrating LGBTQ+ pride. The AFI DOCS Industry Forum explored building accessibility practices into all steps of the production process, demystifying investigative documentaries, the making of the hit series PHILLY D.A., how documentaries shape conversations on racial violence, a behind-the-scenes look at the Hindsight Project films and new collaborations between public media and indie filmmakers. This year’s Industry Forum programming also included closed captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. The AFI DOCS Industry Forum is supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts.
RED TAXI
DIR: Anonymous. As protests in Hong Kong escalate, taxi drivers experience a city in upheaval driving the streets day and night. Anonymously filmed by locals.
SHORT FILM SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
THE COMMUNION OF MY COUSIN ANDREA
DIR: Brandán Cerviño Abeledo. Andrea’s First Communion ceremony lacks glamour. For Andrea, things without sparkles are meaningless.
SHORT FILM SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
S P A C E S (M E Z E R Y)
DIR: Nora Štrbová. A multi-textured animated exploration of memory as a container of identity, based on the personal story of the filmmaker and her brother who was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
This year’s Premium Sponsor is Apple Original Films. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) returns as Official Sponsor of the festival. NBC News’ Meet the Press with Chuck Todd and The Washington Post return this year as Primary Media Partners. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are this year’s Official Media Partners. The Wrap is an Affiliate Media Partner.Screen Sponsors include SHOWTIME® Documentary Films, Netflix, WarnerMedia and HBO Documentary Films. Participant, National Geographic, and Eventive serve as Major Sponsors. This year’s Contributing Sponsors are ESPN, the National Endowment for the Arts and the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment (OCTFME). Supporting Sponsors include the Maryland Film Office, Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce and Rev. The Embassy of Denmark in Washington, DC, and the Farhang Foundation are this year’s Cultural Sponsors. Generous individual support comes from Stephanie and Hunter Hunt.
About AFI DOCS
AFI DOCS is the American Film Institute’s annual documentary festival historically held in Washington, DC. Presenting the year’s best documentaries, AFI DOCS is the only festival in the U.S. dedicated to screenings and events that connect audiences, filmmakers and policy leaders in the heart of our nation’s government. The AFI DOCS advisory board includes Ken Burns, Davis Guggenheim, Chris Hegedus, Werner Herzog, Rory Kennedy, Barbara Kopple, Spike Lee, Errol Morris, Stanley Nelson and Frederick Wiseman. Now in its 19th year, the festival will be held June 22-27, 2021. Visit DOCS.AFI.com and connect onTwitter.com/AFIDOCS, Facebook.com/AFIDOCS, YouTube.com/AFIand Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About the American Film Institute (AFI) Established in 1967, the American Film Institute is the nation’s nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring artists and audiences through initiatives that champion the past, present and future of the moving image. AFI’s pioneering programs include filmmaker training at the AFI Conservatory; year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and at AFI Festivals across the nation; workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community; honoring today’s masters through the AFI Life Achievement Award and AFI AWARDS; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films that uphold film history for future generations. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilmand Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit www.cpb.org and follow us on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribefor email updates.
About The Washington Post and Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership
The Washington Post is an award-winning news leader whose mission is to connect, inform and enlighten local, national and global readers with trustworthy reporting, in-depth analysis and engaging opinions. It combines world-class journalism with the latest technology and tools so readers can interact with The Post anytime, anywhere.
The Press Freedom Partnership is a public service initiative from The Washington Post to promote press freedom and raise awareness of the rights of journalists who are in pursuit of the truth. Learn more at www.wapo.st/pressfreedom
About Meet the Press with Chuck Todd
Meet the Press with Chuck Todd is where newsmakers come to make news — setting the political agenda and spotlighting the impact Washington decision-making has on Americans across the country. It is the #1 most-watched Sunday public affairs show for the 2019-2020 season, reaching more than three million viewers every Sunday and millions more through social, digital and on-demand platforms. Meet the Press brings its authority and influencer interviews to MSNBC with MTP Daily weekdays at 1 p.m. ET, to the ongoing weekly podcast, The Chuck ToddCast, and to Meet the Press Reports, a 30-minute program on NBC News NOW and Peacock, focusing on a single topic explored through the Meet the Press lens. It’s the longest-running show in television history, recently expanding its brand to also include a political short-documentary film festival in collaboration with the American Film Institute. Chuck Todd is the political director of NBC News and the moderator of Meet the Press; John Reiss is the executive producer.
THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE ANNOUNCES SPONSORS FOR AFI DOCS 2021
Support Comes From Wide Range of Art and Cultural Institutions, Media Partners and Corporations
Apple Original Films Joins AFI DOCS as a Premium Sponsor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 18, 2021, WASHINGTON, DC — The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced the sponsors for AFI DOCS 2021. Support for the festival comes from both local organizations based in the DC-metro area and major corporations across the nation. The 19th edition of AFI DOCS will run June 22–27, with films available to view on DOCS.AFI.com as well as in-person screenings at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD.
“AFI DOCS reaches a nationwide audience with the support of our sponsors,” said Sarah Harris, AFI Festivals Director of Programming. “It is their generosity that amplifies the voices of today’s most vital storytellers, and we thank them on behalf of all who find inspiration in the arts.”
In addition to supporting AFI DOCS film programming and events, sponsors provide services and exclusive experiences to filmmakers and audiences throughout the festival. Sponsor participation includes sponsoring specific film screenings, panels and events as well as national and local promotion of the festival.
This year, AFI is proud to have Apple Original Films support AFI DOCS for the first time as a Premium Sponsor. Top festival sponsors will give audiences sneak peeks at exclusive upcoming trailers and content on the festival’s streaming platform and in the AFI DOCS Festival Hub. Media partners will also provide DOCS audiences with access to their digital issues during the week of the festival via a virtual newsstand.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) returns as Official Sponsor of the festival. CPB is Official Sponsor of the AFI DOCS Industry Forum and the Spotlight on the Hindsight Project, a special selection of short filmsthat chronicle the experiences of BIPOC communities in the American South and U.S. Territories during the unprecedented events of 2020.
NBC News’ Meet the Press with Chuck Todd and The Washington Post return this year as Primary Media Partners. Meet the Press and The Washington Post, in conjunction with the Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership, will provide moderators for a number of films in this year’s festival. Highlights include Meet the Press Moderator and NBC Political Director Chuck Todd moderating LFG and NBC News Correspondent Morgan Radford moderating the discussion following the Opening Night World Premiere of NAOMI OSAKA. In addition to supporting post-screening discussions, Washington Post Live, The Post’s live journalism platform, will host a conversation with ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN filmmaker Morgan Neville. Post Managing Editor for Diversity and Inclusion Krissah Thompson will also moderate the World Premiere of WE THE PEOPLE in the inaugural DOCS Talks program.
Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are this year’s Official Media Partners. This year, Variety sponsors the Charles Guggenheim Symposium, which will feature a conversation between the 2021 Guggenheim honoree Dawn Porter and Variety’s Clayton Davis, and The Hollywood Reporter will be a media partner for the screening of SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED).
The Wrap joins AFI DOCS as an Affiliate Media Partner this year and is a media partner for the screening of TOM PETTY: SOMEWHERE YOU FEEL FREE.
Screen Sponsors are SHOWTIME® Documentary Films, Netflix, WarnerMedia and HBO Documentary Films. SHOWTIME® Documentary Films will once again host a networking event for filmmakers and industry, adjusted to be virtual instead of the in-person event they have hosted in the past. SHOWTIME® willalso send a special, customized gift to the festival filmmakers as they celebrate AFI DOCS from home.
Participant returns as a Major Sponsor, along with new sponsors National Geographic and Eventive.
This year’s Contributing Sponsors are ESPN, the National Endowment for the Arts and the DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment (OCTFME).
Supporting Sponsors include the Maryland Film Office, Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce and Rev.
The Embassy of Denmark in Washington, DC, and the Farhang Foundation are this year’s Cultural Sponsors.
Generous individual support comes from Stephanie and Hunter Hunt.
About AFI DOCS
AFI DOCS is the American Film Institute’s annual documentary festival historically held in Washington, DC. Presenting the year’s best documentaries, AFI DOCS is the only festival in the U.S. dedicated to screenings and events that connect audiences, filmmakers and policy leaders in the heart of our nation’s government. The AFI DOCS advisory board includes Ken Burns, Davis Guggenheim, Chris Hegedus, Werner Herzog, Rory Kennedy, Barbara Kopple, Spike Lee, Errol Morris, Stanley Nelson and Frederick Wiseman. Now in its 19th year, the festival will be held June 22-27, 2021. Visit DOCS.AFI.comand connect on Twitter.com/AFIDOCS,Facebook.com/AFIDOCS, YouTube.com/AFI andInstagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About the American Film Institute (AFI) Established in 1967, the American Film Institute is the nation’s nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring artists and audiences through initiatives that champion the past, present and future of the moving image. AFI’s pioneering programs include filmmaker training at the AFI Conservatory; year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and at AFI Festivals across the nation; workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community; honoring today’s masters through the AFI Life Achievement Award and AFI AWARDS; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films that uphold film history for future generations. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media atFacebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute,YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm andInstagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit www.cpb.org and follow us on Twitter @CPBmedia,Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe for email updates.
About The Washington Post and Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership
The Washington Post is an award-winning news leader whose mission is to connect, inform and enlighten local, national and global readers with trustworthy reporting, in-depth analysis and engaging opinions. It combines world-class journalism with the latest technology and tools so readers can interact with The Post anytime, anywhere.
The Press Freedom Partnership is a public service initiative from The Washington Post to promote press freedom and raise awareness of the rights of journalists who are in pursuit of the truth. Learn more at www.wapo.st/pressfreedom
About Meet the Press with Chuck Todd
Meet the Press with Chuck Todd is where newsmakers come to make news — setting the political agenda and spotlighting the impact Washington decision-making has on Americans across the country. It is the #1 most-watched Sunday public affairs show for the 2019-2020 season, reaching more than three million viewers every Sunday and millions more through social, digital and on-demand platforms. Meet the Press brings its authority and influencer interviews to MSNBC with MTP Daily weekdays at 1 p.m. ET, to the ongoing weekly podcast, The Chuck ToddCast, and to Meet the Press Reports, a 30-minute program on NBC News NOW and Peacock, focusing on a single topic explored through the Meet the Press lens. It’s the longest-running show in television history, recently expanding its brand to also include a political short-documentary film festival in collaboration with the American Film Institute. Chuck Todd is the political director of NBC News and the moderator of Meet the Press; John Reiss is the executive producer.
The 37th Santa Barbara International Film Festival presented by UGG® will be happening LIVE March 2 – March 12, 2022. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre.
“After more than a year of staring at screens from home, SBIFF is chomping at the bit to welcome everyone back to Santa Barbara for collective experiences and engaging face-to-face interactions about cinema!” says Roger Durling, SBIFF’s Executive Director.
Last year, SBIFF’s executed an elaborate build-out of two beachside drive-in theatres, debuting 47 world premieres and 37 U.S. premieres, with honorary awards bestowed on Bill Murray, Carey Mulligan, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amanda Seyfried, Riz Ahmed, Maria Bakalova, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Andra Day, Sidney Flanigan, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, Zendaya, and Delroy Lindo. With the anticipation of the in-person live experience coming back to film festivals, organizers are expecting A-list guests to once again ascend on Santa Barbara, making it a must-stop location on the awards circuit, delivering an unprecedented number of films, many of them World and US premieres. The film lineup and schedule will be announced in February 2022.
Over the past 36 years, SBIFF has become one of the leading film festivals in the world attracting 100,000+ attendees throughout the week. Funds raised through the festival directly support SBIFF’s year-round free programs that serve over 18,000 people.
Passes for the 2022 Festival will be on sale in August. For additional information or to buy passes, visit sbiff.org
“AWFJ Presents” Screening Series Debuts Online (June 9, 2021)
The Alliance of Women Film Journalists and Kino Lorber team up to offer movie lovers great films by some of the world’s finest women directors
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Mustang, Nowhere in Africa
New York, NY (June 9, 2021) —The Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ) has announced the debut today of a partnership with Kino Lorber to curate film selections by a number of esteemed female film journalists and critics under the new “AWFJ Presents” banner on Kino Lorber’s digital platform KinoMarquee for rent. Selected by a curatorial team of AWFJ members from Kino Lorber’s vast catalog of hundreds of important titles, the inaugural selections include six exceptionally entertaining and relevant films by women directors.
Each film on the AWFJ Presents slate will be available on the KinoMarquee streaming platform under the AWFJ Presents banner. In addition, a pre-recorded, 20-minute discussion of each film by members of AWFJ’s curatorial team can be found on AWFJ’s YouTube channel. The revenue from the sale of every series pass will be shared with the AWJF, supporting the important work that they do.
Jennifer Merin, AWFJ president, said, “The alliance is very proud to partner with Kino Lorber for our inaugural ‘AWFJ Presents’ series to highlight some truly outstanding films by some of the world’s finest women directors. The films tell stories that are true to women’s experiences and represent women’s perspectives, but have universal appeal. We are also beyond appreciative of their enthusiasm and generosity regarding this partnership.”
Kino Lorber SVP Wendy Lidell, added, “It is as important to increase the number and presence of female film critics as it is to increase the presence of women filmmakers – in fact the two go hand in hand. Which is why we are especially gratified to be partnering with AWJF on this initiative to present just a sampling of our deep catalog of great films by women.”
The international slate of films covers a variety of genres—comedy, horror, drama, contemporary, period. They are all finely crafted, original, and entertaining. And, they created passionate debate among the curators who chose them from the 161 female-helmed films in Kino Lorber’s catalog.
Daughters of the Dust, Peppermint Soda, Between the Lines
AWFJ Presents inaugural selections
Ana Lily Amirpour’s A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust (1991)
Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s Mustang (2015)
Diane Kurys’ Peppermint Soda (1977)
Caroline Link’s Nowhere in Africa (2001)
Joan Micklin Silver’s Between the Lines (1977)
The “AWFJ Presents” curators are an international consortium of well-respected film critics: Ulkar Alakbarova, Margaret Barton-Fumo, Betsy Bozdech, Sandie Angulo Chen, Leslie Combemale, Marilyn Ferdinand, Pam Grady, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Jennifer Merin, Kristen Page-Kirby, Jeanne Prisyazhnaya, and Susan Wloszczyna.
The cost to stream films individually is $8, or viewers can buy a pass to the whole series for $30. Contact awfjinc@gmail for more information.
About AWFJ
The Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Inc. (AWFJ) in a not-for-profit charitable organization found in New York State in 2006 whose purpose is to amplify the voices of women critics, provide a platform for the expression of women’s perspectives on film, and support work by and about women—both in front of and behind the cameras—through intragroup promotional activities, outreach programs and presentation of EDA Awards at year’s end and at film festivals throughout the year. AWFJ publishes an average of 22 reviews, interviews and news items weekly, including our Movie of the Week feature, and distributes two weekly eNewsletters, in addition to keeping an active and interactive record of fiction feature and documentary films by and/or about women, and/or of particular interest to women because they focus on women’s issues. Articles, eNewsletter subscription sign ups and lists are made available to the general public on our website (awfj.org).
About Kino Lorber
With a library of over 4,000 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent art house distribution for 35 years, releasing 30 films per year theatrically under its Kino Lorber, Kino Repertory and Alive Mind Cinema banners, garnering seven Academy Award® nominations in nine years. In addition, the company brings over 350 titles yearly to the home entertainment and educational markets through physical and digital media releases. With an expanding family of distributed labels, Kino Lorber handles releases in ancillary media for Zeitgeist Films, Cohen Media Group, Greenwich Entertainment, Artsploitation, Palisades Tartan, Menemsha Films, Raro Video, and others, placing physical titles through all wholesale, retail, and direct to consumer channels, as well as direct digital distribution through over 40 OTT services including all major TVOD and SVOD platforms. In 2019, the company launched its new art house digital channel Kino Now which features over 1000 titles from the acclaimed Kino Lorber library. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kino Marquee initiative was launched in 2020 pioneering “virtual theatrical” releases of art-house films with revenue shares that allows audiences to support almost 400 local independent theaters.
For Media specific inquiries, please contact:
John Wildman
Wildworks PR
FilmsGoneWild.com johnstuartwildman@gmail.com
323.600.3165
Naomi Osaka gives unprecedented access following Osaka during a historic two years in which she works on her game but also begins to find her voice. Whether she’s defending her grand slam titles —while wearing masks in defense of Black lives — mourning the unexpected loss of mentor Kobe Bryant, or finding her independence, the challenges Naomi faces on a personal level begin to align with those in the public sphere.
With fly-on-the-wall intimacy, the series chronicles Osaka’s hectic training and travel schedule, explores the layers of pressure she is under, and reveals how she spends her time off the court hanging with her closest family and friends. The episodes also travel the globe with Osaka to further explore her Haitian roots as well as examine her deep connection to Japan, the country she represents.
Naomi Osaka is a three-part documentary series. One you won’t want to miss!
World Premiere of Netflix’s and Higher Ground Production’s WE THE PEOPLE Kicks Off Inaugural DOCS Talks on June 24
DOCS Industry Forum Topics Include Increasing Accessibility of Documentary Films, Collaborations Between Public Media and Indie Filmmakers, Investigative Journalism, and More
June 9, 2021, WASHINGTON, DC — AFIDOCS — the American Film Institute’s documentary film festival — has announced its DOCS Talks and Industry Forum events for its 19th edition, June 22-27. The inaugural DOCS Talks section will feature the World Premiere of Netflix’s and Higher Ground Production’s WE THE PEOPLE, as well as “History Is Out of the Closet: Excavating Queer Stories for the Screen,” a live stream conversation celebrating LGBTQ+ pride. DOCS Talks events are free.
The AFIDOCS Industry Forum conversations and panels, streamed live, will explore building accessibility practices into all steps of the production process, demystifying investigative documentaries, the making of the hit series PHILLY D.A., how documentaries shape conversations on racial violence, a behind-the-scenes look at the Hindsight Project films and new collaborations between public media and indie filmmakers. This year’s Industry Forum programming will include closed captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. The AFIDOCS Industry Forum is supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts. Attendees can participate in all events with an Industry Pass or purchase tickets to individual events. Passes and tickets are available at DOCS.AFI.com.
Sarah Harris, Director of Programming, AFI Festivals
“One of the most unique parts of the festival, the AFIDOCS Industry Forum – and now the inaugural DOCS Talks events – connects attendees, filmmakers and industry leaders from across the nation in discussions concerning all aspects of documentary film and how the art form both shapes and is shaped by society,” said Sarah Harris, AFI Festivals Director of Programming. “We’re thrilled to welcome such an inspiring group of panelists and look forward to the thought-provoking conversations.”
In addition to the Industry Forum panels, AFIDOCS will host curated one-on-one meetings on June 22 and June 24 for AFIDOCS filmmakers and industry pass holders. Industry meetings provide an opportunity to connect with prominent industry professionals, funders and public media representatives from across the nation. Participants will include, but are not limited to, representatives from PBS, ITVS, Netflix, CNN Original Series, Imagine Documentaries, Catapult Film Fund and IDA.
Beyond these dynamic conversations, AFIDOCS will offer even more opportunities for filmmakers and attendees to engage and interact with the festival through the new Festival Hub and DOCS Connect platform, which will launch on opening day, June 22. The Hub will offer attendees access to everything the festival offers, including exclusive content, programmer picks, photobooth, links to special events and more. Attendees will also be able to access DOCS Connect through the Hub. This moderated message board provides an opportunity to interact and discuss AFIDOCS films, sharing insights, reactions and stories. DOCS Connect will also feature question and answer sessions in real time with select feature filmmakers on Friday, June 25, and Saturday, June 26.
DOCS Talks
WE THE PEOPLE
Created by Chris Nee and executive produced by Nee, Kenya Barris, and Barack and Michelle Obama, WE THE PEOPLE covers a range of basic U.S. civic lessons in not-so-basic ways. Set to original songs performed by Janelle Monáe, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brandi Carlile, Cordae, Bebe Rexha, Kyle and inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, each episode showcases a groundbreaking mix of animated styles. WE THE PEOPLE promises to be a vibrant call to action for everyone to rethink civics as a living and breathing thing, and to reframe their understanding of what government and citizenship mean in a modern world.
In this special event, AFIDOCS will present a conversation about the expansion of nonfiction filmmaking form and the healing of a nation through a celebration of civics and cinema, moderated by The Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart. Free event.Thursday, June 24, 8:00 p.m. EDT
History Is Out of the Closet: Excavating Queer Stories for the Screen
Moderated by Madeleine Lim, Executive/Artistic Director of the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP), the livestream discussion will focus on the queer filmmakers of AFIDOCS 2021. With documentaries touching on eras from the 1920s and into the present, these filmmakers revisit and reframe LGBTQIA+ histories, incorporating a rich texture and diversity of experiences to celebrate fascinating subcommunities and wonderful lesser-known figures. Reclaiming histories that have been systematically erased and ignored, these films remind the world with pride that queer people have always been here. The panel will be moderated by Madeleine Lim, Executive/Artistic Director of the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project. Free event. Saturday, June 26, 1:00 p.m. EDT
AFIDOCS 2021 Industry Forum
Breaking the Silence: How Documentaries Can Shape Conversations on Racial Violence.
Moderated by Sherry Simpson, ITVS’s Senior Director of Engagement and Impact Innovation, this eye-opening panel will discuss the Center for Media & Social Impact’s report “Breaking the Silence: How Documentaries Can Shape the Conversation on Racial Violence in America and Create New Communities.” The study, which focused on community screenings and conversations around the Independent Lens documentary ALWAYS IN SEASON, provided some key findings and insights that can be incorporated into filmmaker’s future projects. Tuesday, June 22, 4:00 p.m. EDT
Getting Serious About Series: New Collaborations Between Public Media Series and Indie Filmmakers
Day two of the Forum begins with a discussion with leading executives from PBS and WORLD Channel flagship series including American Experience, NOVA, American Masters and WORLD’s America ReFramed and independent filmmakers. The panel, led by Black Public Media’s Executive Director Leslie Fields-Cruz, will explore the exciting new collaborations between legacy series and the independent film community to highlight diverse voices and original ideas. Wednesday, June 23, 2:00 p.m. EDT
Looking to the Future With “Hindsight”
Moderated by Sapana Sakya, the Talent Development and Special Projects Manager for the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), Looking to the Future With “Hindsight” brings together filmmakers from the Hindsight Project whose films will be making their world premieres in this year’s AFIDOCS, along with the key collaborators who made this effort possible, including Firelight Media, CAAM, Reel South and Southern public media stations. Wednesday, June 23, 4:30 p.m. EDT
Inside Investigation: What Filmmakers Need to Know to Embark on Investigative Documentaries
“Inside Investigation” aims to demystify and remove the intimidation factor from investigative documentaries, especially for filmmakers who do not necessarily have a background in journalism. Moderator Carrie Lozano, Director of the Sundance Documentary Film Program, and a panel of experts will discuss how to successfully embark on investigative projects, navigate obstacles and avoid potential pitfalls. Thursday, June 24, 2:00 p.m. EDT
Making Films More Accessible to All Audiences
There is a strong push toward making films accessible to the widest array of audiences – through audio descriptions, live transcripts, captioning and other tools. In “Making Films More Accessible to All Audiences,”moderated by filmmaker and founding member of the nonprofit organization FWD-Doc Day Al-Mohamed, a panel of filmmakers, WGBH’s Media Access Group and other experts address what filmmakers need to know about accessibility needs, best practices and available resources as they work to build accessibility practices into all steps of the production process. Thursday, June 24, 4:00 p.m. EDT
PHILLY D.A. – The Making of the Landmark New Independent Lens Docuseries
For the final day of Forum programming, AFIDOCS presents the special two-part panel “PHILLY D.A. – The Making of the Landmark New Independent Lens Docuseries,” with an in-depth, 360-degree exploration of the docuseries that has captivated audiences since its recent debut on INDEPENDENT LENS.
In Part 1, ITVS Vice President of Production Royd Chung leads the filmmakers and other key personnel through the evolution of the series and the major creative and practical challenges in telling this dynamic, multi-dimensional story. Friday, June 25, 12:00 p.m. EDT
Part 2 will focus on the engagement and impact strategies employed on the series’ behalf, as ITVS Senior Director of Engagement and Innovation Sherry Simpson moderates an up-to-the-minute discussion with the film team. Friday, June 25, 2:30 p.m. EDT
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About AFIDOCS
AFIDOCS is the American Film Institute’s annual documentary festival historically held in Washington, DC. Presenting the year’s best documentaries, AFIDOCS is the only festival in the U.S. dedicated to screenings and events that connect audiences, filmmakers and policy leaders in the heart of our nation’s government. The AFIDOCS advisory board includes Ken Burns, Davis Guggenheim, Chris Hegedus, Werner Herzog, Rory Kennedy, Barbara Kopple, Spike Lee, Errol Morris, Stanley Nelson and Frederick Wiseman. Now in its 19th year, the festival will be held June 22-27, 2021. Visit DOCS.AFI.com and connect on Twitter.com/AFIDOCS, Facebook.com/AFIDOCS, YouTube.com/AFI and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About the American Film Institute (AFI) Established in 1967, the American Film Institute is the nation’s nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring artists and audiences through initiatives that champion the past, present and future of the moving image. AFI’s pioneering programs include filmmaker training at the AFI Conservatory; year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and at AFI Festivals across the nation; workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community; honoring today’s masters through the AFI Life Achievement Award and AFI AWARDS; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films that uphold film history for future generations. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
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About The Washington Post and Washington Post Press Freedom Partnership
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About Meet the Press with Chuck Todd
Meet the Press with Chuck Todd is where newsmakers come to make news — setting the political agenda and spotlighting the impact Washington decision-making has on Americans across the country. It is the #1 most-watched Sunday public affairs show for the 2019-2020 season, reaching more than three million viewers every Sunday and millions more through social, digital and on-demand platforms. Meet the Press brings its authority and influencer interviews to MSNBC with MTP Daily weekdays at 1 p.m. ET, to the ongoing weekly podcast, The Chuck ToddCast, and to Meet the Press Reports, a 30-minute program on NBC News NOW and Peacock, focusing on a single topic explored through the Meet the Press lens. It’s the longest-running show in television history, recently expanding its brand to also include a political short-documentary film festival in collaboration with the American Film Institute. Chuck Todd is the political director of NBC News and the moderator of Meet the Press; John Reiss is the executive producer.
The American Film Institute has gone live with its tickets and passes for the AFIDOCS 2021 festival. With 77 films from 23 countries and 4 World Premieres, with 52% of the films directed by women, 40% by BIPOC directors and 18% by LGBTQ directors, this year’s AFI DOCS promises to be quite heated and equitably balanced.
WE THE PEOPLE
The 19th edition of the festival will present films in the following sections: Special Presentations, Guggenheim Symposium, Feature Films, Series, Cinema’s Legacy, Short Film Competition and Spotlight on the Hindsight Project. AFIDOCS 2021 runs June 22–27, with films available to view on DOCS.AFI.com as well as in-person screenings at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD, and select films will be available with closed captioning and descriptive audio. The Washington Post and Meet the Press return as the Primary Media Partners.
“We are living in the Golden Age of documentary film,” said Sarah Harris, AFI Festivals Director of Programming. “At AFIDOCS, we are proud to celebrate excellence in the films of 2021 – connecting audiences across the nation, engaging them in lively conversation and inspiring them with both the unprecedented challenges and the breathtaking beauty of the world around us.”
AFIDOCS‘ program of Special Presentations includes the previously announced Opening Night World Premiere of NAOMI OSAKA and Closing Night film CUSP, as well as the Centerpiece Screening of ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN.
CUSP
ROADRUNNER
This year, the Features section explores a diverse range of subjects including the growing movement in the medical community to push back against big pharma (WHITE COAT REBELS); an examination of law enforcement’s relationship with the community through the lens of a corruption scandal in the Baltimore police department (THE SLOW HUSTLE); the emotional complexities of family court trials (COURTROOM 3H); and Syrian artists working in exile in Europe (THE STORY WON’T DIE).
The Cinema’s Legacy program, now in its third year at AFIDOCS, presents historically notable nonfiction films that employ the personal documentary form: IN SEARCH OF OUR FATHERS (1992), SINK OR SWIM (1990) and STEVIE (2002). Cinema’s Legacy is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
This year’s Series section features multi-part documentaries that investigate pivotal moments in history and culture, from an exploration of the sound creation in modern music in WATCH THE SOUND WITH MARK RONSON, to an in-depth look at a day that changed our country forever with 9/11: ONE DAY IN AMERICA. The Series section will also feature the World Premiere of OBAMA: IN PURSUIT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION.
The Short Film Competition will be presented in six programs, with stories from across the globe and close to home, and are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize.
Special to AFIDOCS this year is the Spotlight on the Hindsight Project, sponsored by CPB. The section presents the world premiere of six short films, which chronicle the experiences of BIPOC communities in the American South and U.S. Territories during the unprecedented events of 2020. The project is produced in partnership by Firelight Media, Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) and Reel South.
As previously announced, this year’s Charles Guggenheim Symposium will feature a discussion with filmmaker Dawn Porter and a free screening of her new film RISE AGAIN: TULSA AND THE RED SUMMER.
Audience Awards will be given to a feature and a short film based on votes cast by attendees throughout the festival. The winners of the Audience Awards for Best Feature and Best Short will be announced on Monday, June 28. For the second year, the AFIDOCS Short Film Competition Grand Jury Prize is a qualifying award for Academy Award® eligibility.
Featuring our Opening, Centerpiece and Closing films, this section spotlights the highest-profile and most anticipated films of the festival.
OPENING NIGHT SCREENING – Tuesday, June 22
NAOMI OSAKA: DIR Garrett Bradley. PRODS Lauren Cioffi, Katy Murakami and Sally Rosen. USA.
What does it feel like to be one of the best tennis players in the world? An intimate look inside the life of one of the most gifted and complex athletes of her generation offers insight into the tough decisions and ecstatic triumphs that shape Naomi Osaka as both an elite global superstar and a young woman navigating a pressure-filled world. World Premiere.
CLOSING NIGHT SCREENING – Sunday, June 27
CUSP: DIRS Parker Hill and Isabel Bethencourt. PROD Zachary Luke Kislevitz. USA.
This coming-of-age documentary follows three teenage girls for one wild, life-changing summer in their small Texas town as they grapple with what becoming an adult means, especially for young women.
CENTERPIECE SCREENING – Friday, June 25
ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN: DIR Morgan Neville. PRODS Caitrin Rogers and Morgan Neville. USA.
A documentary about the uncommon life of the late storyteller, explorer and chef, Anthony Bourdain.
2021 CHARLES GUGGENHEIM SYMPOSIUM
GUGGENHEIM SYMPOSIUM WITH DAWN PORTER – Wednesday, June 23
Honoring a master of the nonfiction art form, this year’s Guggenheim Symposium will include an in-depth conversation with celebrated filmmaker Dawn Porter hosted by Variety’s Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis, featuring clips from her acclaimed work and a free screening of her most recent project.
RISE AGAIN: TULSA AND THE RED SUMMER: DIR Dawn Porter. PROD Dawn Porter. USA.
One hundred years after the two-day Tulsa Massacre, one of America’s most violent racial conflicts, this documentary explores the role of media during these early 20th century events and today’s revived call for justice and anti-racism. Free Screening.
FEATURE FILMS
This year’s diverse features section is a collection of original, enlightening and daring explorations of the people and world around us.
COURTROOM 3H: DIR Antonio Méndez Esparza. PRODS Pedro Hernandez Santos, Rebeca Villar Rodriguez and Ana Castanosa Bielsa. Spain.
Inside Tallahassee’s Courtroom 3H, staggeringly emotional hearings and trials hint at the complexities of family histories, calling into question a justice system with the power to decide who is suitable to be a parent. North American Premiere.
DAUGHTER OF A LOST BIRD: DIR Brooke Pepion Swaney. PRODS Jeri Rafter, Kendra Mylnechuk and Brooke Pepion Swaney. USA.
Kendra grew up in white suburbia knowing little of her Native American heritage. The search for her birth mother leads her to face a legacy of family trauma and joy.
DELPHINE’S PRAYERS (LES PRIÈRES DE DELPHINE): DIR Rosine Mbakam. PROD Geoffroy Cemaix. Belgium, Cameroon.
Delphine, a 30-year-old Cameroonian woman, sits casually on a mattress. With filmmaker Rosine Mbakam, she will “just talk as usual,” describing what led her to this brightly lit room in a Brussels apartment.
FATHOM: DIR Drew Xanthopoulos. PROD Megan Gilbride. USA.
Have you ever wanted to introduce yourself to a whale? FATHOM follows women in the field of cetacean research trying to do just that and takes a deep dive into whale culture and our own.
THE FIRST STEP: DIR Brandon Kramer. PROD Lance Kramer. USA.
Brilliantly plotted and politically nuanced, THE FIRST STEP follows CNN commentator Van Jones’ trip down the rabbit hole as he forms an unholy alliance with Jared Kushner to effectuate prison reform legislation.
LFG: DIRS Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine. PRODS Sean Fine, Andrea Nix Fine and Abby Greensfelder. USA.
LFG is an inspiring and intimate documentary following the U.S. women’s national soccer team as it files a class-action, gender discrimination lawsuit against the team’s employer, the U.S. Soccer Federation.
THE LOST LEONARDO: DIR Andreas Koefoed. PRODS Christoph Jörg and Andreas Dalsgaard. Denmark, France, Sweden.
This intriguing thriller follows the story behind the Salvator Mundi, the most expensive painting ever sold ($450 million) after it is claimed to be a long-lost masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci.
LUCHADORAS: DIRS Paola Calvo and Patrick Jasim. PROD Phillip Kaminiak. Germany, Mexico.
Three courageous female wrestlers, Luchadoras, confront crises in their personal lives and present strength in their community of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, where women are all too often abused, kidnapped or murdered.
MY NAME IS PAULI MURRAY: DIRS Julie Cohen and Betsy West. PROD Talleah Bridges McMahon. USA.
Academy Award® nominees Betsy West and Julie Cohen (RBG) profile the remarkable Pauli Murray, whose legacy as one of the 20th Century’s great human rights activists and legal scholars finally gets the attention it deserves.
THE NEUTRAL GROUND: DIR CJ Hunt. PROD Darcy McKinnon. USA.
Comedian and satirist CJ Hunt (THE DAILY SHOW) is asking difficult questions about this country’s Confederate monuments. In THE NEUTRAL GROUND, he hopes to discover some clarity, by diving into history.
NO STRAIGHT LINES: DIR Vivian Kleiman. PRODS Vivian Kleiman and Justin Hall. USA.
This wonderfully immersive look at the history of queer comics celebrates the queer artists who carved out a space in the culture where they could see themselves and be seen by others.
NORTH BY CURRENT: DIR Angelo Madsen Minax. PROD Felix Endara. USA.
After the death of his young niece and accusations that the family might somehow have been involved, filmmaker Angelo Madsen Minax has many questions that won’t have clear or easy answers.
THE ONE AND ONLY DICK GREGORY: DIR Andre Gaines. PRODS Andre Gaines and Valerie Edwards. USA.
In this affectionate tribute guided by other entertainers, the iconic comedian and activist Dick Gregory finds humor again after losing it in anger.
PRAY AWAY: DIR Kristine Stolakis. PRODS Jessica Devaney, Anya Rous and Kristine Stolakis. USA.
Former leaders of the “pray away the gay” movement contend with the aftermath unleashed by their actions, while a survivor seeks healing and acceptance from more than a decade of trauma.
PRESIDENT: DIR Camilla Nielsson. PRODS Signe Byrge Sørensen and Joslyn Barnes. Denmark, USA, Norway.
Zimbabwe’s dictator Robert Mugabe has been ousted, but the corrupt ruling party has already thrown their power behind a new candidate and, with democracy at stake, challenger Nelson Chamisa faces an impossible battle.
RADIOGRAPH OF A FAMILY: DIR Firouzeh Khosrovani. PRODS Bård Kjøge Rønning and Fabien Greenberg. Iran, Switzerland, Norway.
Filmmaker Firouzeh Khosrovani excavates and examines her parents’ marriage, which reflects the divide between traditionalism and modernization in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution.
REBEL HEARTS: DIR Pedro Kos. PRODS Kira Carstensen, Shawnee Isaac-Smith and Judy Korin. USA.
In Los Angeles in the 1960s, the courageous Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary challenged the Roman Catholic Church in an effort to reform its engrained patriarchal strictures – but at a considerable cost.
SEARCHERS: DIR Pacho Velez. PRODS Pacho Velez, Joe Poletto, Sam Roseme and Cathy Tankosic. USA.
Swipe right or swipe left? Such love-life-altering decisions are explored in Pacho Velez’s enchanting, poignant exploration of online dating apps and those searching for love in all the digital places.
THE SLOW HUSTLE: DIR Sonja Sohn. PRODS Marc Levin, Daphne Pinkerson and Mahrya MacIntire. USA.
After Baltimore Police Detective Sean Suiter is shot and found dead while on duty, the tragedy soon becomes enmeshed in a widening corruption scandal that threatens to unravel the public’s already strained relationship with law enforcement. World Premiere.
STORM LAKE: DIRS Jerry Risius and Beth Levison. PROD Beth Levison. USA.
For 30 years, in Storm Lake, Iowa, Art Cullen and his family have been publishing a Pulitzer Prize-winning local newspaper. But, with newspapers everywhere going extinct, how long can they keep it up?
THE STORY WON’T DIE: DIR David Henry Gerson. PROD Odessa Rae, Abdalaziz Alhamza and Martin Marquet. USA, Germany, Denmark.
In their homeland of Syria, artists are routinely tortured, kidnapped, imprisoned and killed. While in exile in Europe, their talents speak truth to power, help them heal and find joy. US Premiere.
SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED): DIR Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. PRODS Joseph Patel; Robert Fyvolent; and David Dinerstein. USA.
In 1969, the same summer as Woodstock, another epic music festival — celebrating American music and African American history — took place in Harlem, New York.
TOM PETTY, SOMEWHERE YOU FEEL FREE: DIR Mary Wharton. PROD Peter Afterman. USA.
Newly discovered archival 16mm footage is weaved with intimate interviews to create a love letter to Tom Petty’s touchstone album “Wildflowers” and an artist’s story of his struggle to feel free.
TRY HARDER!: DIR Debbie Lum. PRODS Nico Opper, Lou Nakasako and Debbie Lum. USA.
Welcome to the high-pressure world of the college application process. TRY HARDER! features a wonderful cast of stressed-out high school seniors pulling out all the stops to make their college dreams a reality.
WE: DIR Alice Diop. PROD Sophie Salbot. France.
In this fascinating slice-of-life portrait of Paris and its outskirts, filmmaker Alice Diop turns her camera on the “ordinary” people living in the shadow of the RER B train that traverses the city.
WHITE COAT REBELS: DIR Greg Barker. PRODS. Diane Becker, Greg Barker, Christopher Buchanan, Dr. Harriet Fraser. USA.
In this probing look inside the medical profession, filmmaker Greg Barker examines the outsized influence of Big Pharma and the courageous “white coat rebels” who are pushing back against the powers that be. World Premiere.
Go on a binge or take it one episode at a time, these multi-part documentaries explore pivotal moments in history and culture that connect us.
9/11: ONE DAY IN AMERICA: DIR Daniel Bogado. PROD Caroline Marsden. USA.
In official collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, this documentary series take viewers through harrowing moments of the historic morning of September 11, 2001. AFIDOCS will present the first three episodes.
OBAMA: IN PURSUIT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION: DIR Peter Kunhardt. PRODS George Kunhardt, Teddy Kunhardt, Maya Mumma and Matthew Henderson. USA.
This multi-part documentary explores the journey of Barack Obama from his early upbringing to the 44th U.S. President, set against the backdrop of the country’s unfolding racial history. World Premiere. AFIDOCS will present the first two episodes.
WATCH THE SOUND WITH MARK RONSON: DIRS Mark Monroe, Morgan Neville and Jason Zeldes. USA.
Hosted by renowned DJ and award-winning artist and producer Mark Ronson, this docuseries explores sound creation and the revolutionary technology shaping modern music. US Premiere. AFIDOCS will host three episodes of the new series.
CINEMA’S LEGACY
Presenting historically notable nonfiction films, this year’s edition of Cinema’s Legacy section focuses on important works employing the personal documentary form. Now over a year into an extended quarantine, personal documentary has acquired a renewed relevance, reflecting a global turn towards introspection. Cinema’s Legacy is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
Marco Williams’ searing seven-year journey to track down the father he never knew. Thirty years on, the film remains a brilliant and powerful evocation of the personal documentary form.
SINK OR SWIM (1990): DIR Su Friedrich. USA.
In this canonical personal documentary, filmmaker Su Friedrich returns to a pivotal childhood memory – her father has thrown her into the deep end of the pool to teach her to swim.
STEVIE (2002): DIR Steve James. PRODS Steve James, Adam D. Singer and Gordon Quinn. USA.
Following HOOP DREAMS’ huge success, Steve James began a straightforward film about the man he had once mentored as a Big Brother. To James’ surprise, he would end up making his most complex and personal documentary.
SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Curated from hundreds of entries, this year’s short films highlight unique voices from around the world – presented in six programs.
AUDIBLE: DIR Matt Ogens. PRODS Nyle DiMarco and Peter Berg. USA.
Athletes at the Maryland School for the Deaf defend their winning streak while dealing with the loss of a friend. They face pressures of entering the hearing world in this coming-of-age story.
THE BEAUTY PRESIDENT: DIR Whitney Skauge. PROD Caley Shannon. USA.
“If a bad actor can be president, why not a good drag queen?” In 1992, Joan Jett Blakk made a historic bid for the White House as the first openly queer write-in candidate. World Premiere.
THE BROTHER (LE FRÈRE): DIR Jérémie Battaglia. PROD Amélie Lambert Bouchard. Canada.
Suffering from an illness that causes body paralysis, Kais dreams he is the hero of his favorite anime, along with his brothers, Fehd the bodybuilder and Zaïd the ninja. US Premiere.
BUG FARM: DIR Lydia Cornett. PROD Brit Fryer. USA.
Four women in Central Florida establish a unique bond while working with crickets, superworms and roaches on an insect farm in the rural town of LaBelle.
CODED: DIR Ryan White. PRODS Christopher Leggett, Rafael Marmor, Conor Fetting-Smith, Jessica Hargrave and Marc Gilbar. USA.
The coded advertisements of legendary early-20th century gay illustrator J.C. Leyendecker quietly, but directly, acknowledged a community that was forced to live in the closet.
THE COMMUNION OF MY COUSIN ANDREA: DIR Brandán Cerviño Abeledo. PRODS Brandán Cerviño Abeledo and Sabrina Zimmermann. Spain.
Andrea’s First Communion ceremony lacks glamour. For Andrea, things without sparkles are meaningless. World Premiere.
EAGLES (ÁGUILAS): DIRS Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Maite Zubiaurre. PRODS Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Maite Zubiaurre. USA.
Once a month, along the scorching southern desert border in Arizona, one group of searchers, the Aguilas del Desierto, set out to recover missing loved ones.
THE GALLERY THAT DESTROYS ALL SHAME: DIRS Aurora Brachman and Jessie Zinn. PRODS Aurora Brachman and Jessie Zinn. USA.
One evening in L.A., a group of womxn gather to learn how to take back the speculum. World Premiere.
THE GAME: DIR Roman Hodel. PROD Franziska Sonder. Switzerland.
A whistle. The crowded stands of the stadium roar. Players protest angrily. Announcers follow the action on the field. In the middle of it all is the referee.
GOLDEN AGE KARATE: DIR Sindha Agha. PRODS Malcolm Pullinger and Rachel Serada Barth. USA.
Teen karate pro Jeff Wall teaches senior citizens self-defense at a local nursing home, giving them the tools to feel in control, connected and cared for.
THE HAIRDRESSER (LA COIFFEUSE): DIR Lorraine Price. PROD Lorraine Price. Canada.
At 83, Kathleen is still doing hair, though not how you might expect. Her work is special. World Premiere.
HALPATE: DIRS Adam Piron and Adam Khalil. PRODS Alexandra Lazarowich and Everett Osceola. USA.
Alligator wrestling, considered a staple of Florida tourism, is a dangerous spectacle that has been performed by members of the Seminole Tribe for over a century.
THE I AND S OF LIVES: DIR Kevin Jerome Everson. PRODS Madeleine Molyneaux and Kevin Jerome Everson. USA.
The smoothest area of resistance. The “I and S” of “Lives” is traced by a lone rollerskater on Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, DC, on a summer afternoon in 2020.
INTERNATIONAL DAWN CHORUS DAY: DIR John Greyson. PROD John Greyson. Canada.
On International Dawn Chorus Day (May 3, 2020), birds from six continents join a Zoom call, where they gossip about storms, cats, wires, dates and two Egyptian activists. US Premiere.
INVISIBLE MONSTERS AND TOMATO SOUP: DIRS Stevie Borrello, Marcie LaCerte and Meghan McDonough. USA.
A batch of mushy sourdough. Two radioactive lizards. Three cans of Campbell’s tomato soup. When COVID-19 lockdowns began in 2020, people around the world began reporting more vivid dreams.
MAMA: DIR Pablo de la Chica. PRODS David Torres, Pablo de la Chica, Kathleen McInnis, Miguel González, Eduardo Jiménez, Jordi Rubio, Diego Urruchi and Néstor Lopez. Spain.
Deep in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, one of the most violent places in the world, Mama Zawadi and her baby chimpanzees find that unconditional love can heal the wounds of war. North American Premiere.
MISSION: HEBRON: DIR Rona Segal. PROD Idit Kliger. Israel.
Israeli soldiers are recruited at age 18 and, only months later, are already overseeing Palestinian civil life. Former soldiers describe their time in Hebron, the most troubled city in the West Bank. North American Premiere.
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA: DIR Sergei Loznitsa. PRODS Philippe Martin, Dimitri Krassoulia-Vronsky, Emmanuel Perreau and Louis Vaudeville. France.
Filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa revisits the Palais Garnier of the 1950s and 1960s, reviving the era when kings and queens, celebrities and heads of state ascended the stairs to worship the art of opera.
NSENENE: DIR Michelle Coomber. PROD Michelle Coomber. UK.
In this poetic portrait of a Ugandan tradition, Masaka’s grasshopper catchers light up the sky. World Premiere.
THE ONE WHO CROSSED THE SEA (DER ÜBERS MEER KAM): DIR Jonas Riemer. PRODS Jonas Riemer and Johannes Schubert. Germany.
In a makeshift boat, a GDR refugee escapes to West Germany. His newfound freedom is disorienting, and it is only later, with a growing nationalist movement, that he begins to feel at home.
PARTY LINE: DIR Lydia Cornett. PROD Lydia Cornett. USA.
At the early voting line in Ohio’s most populous county, civic duty is a public performance. World Premiere.
R.I.P. T-SHIRTS: DIRS Kate Davis and David Heilbroner. PRODS David Heilbroner, Grace Harry and Anwan Glover. USA.
A small custom T-shirt shop in Washington, DC, sees a generation of Black youth experience gun violence. World Premiere.
RED TAXI: DIR Anonymous. Hong Kong.
As protests in Hong Kong escalate, taxi drivers experience a city in upheaval driving the streets day and night. Anonymously filmed by locals.
S P A C E S (M E Z E R Y): DIR Nora Štrbová. Czech Republic.
A multi-textured animated exploration of memory as a container of identity, based on the personal story of the filmmaker and her brother who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. North American Premiere.
SCUM BOY: DIR Allison Swank. PROD Allison Swank. South Africa.
A look at the off-the-wall psyche of Gen Z by way of visionary 3D artist Scum Boy, a young South African, Jewish transgender man living his life with illuminating fearlessness.
SENIOR PROM: DIR Luisa Conlon. PRODS Jessica Chermayeff and Luisa Conlon. USA.
At an LGBTQ retirement home, the annual “senior” prom takes on a whole new meaning – a celebration of the lives and legacies of resistance of the eldest queer generation. World Premiere.
SHELTER: DIR Smriti Mundhra. PROD Maya Gnyp. USA.
A verité documentary that follows three young children and their families as they grapple with housing insecurity in Los Angeles. World Premiere.
SINCE YOU ARRIVED, MY HEART STOPPED BELONGING TO ME (DESDE QUE LLEGASTE MI CORAZÓN DEJÓ DE PERTENECERME): DIR Erin Semine Kökdil. PROD Erin Semine Kökdil. USA.
Central American mothers journey by bus through Mexico, searching for their children who migrated north towards the United States but disappeared en route.
SOUVENIR SOUVENIR: DIR Bastien Dubois. PROD Amiel Tenenbaum. France.
An account of filmmaker Bastien Dubois’ multiple unsuccessful attempts to initiate a dialogue with his grandfather, who had been a soldier in the French-Algerian war.
TRADE CENTER: DIR Adam Baran. PRODS Adam Baran and Ethan Weinstock. USA.
The voices of gay men who cruised for sex at the World Trade Center in the 1980s and 1990s haunt the sanitized, commerce-driven landscape of the newly rebuilt Freedom Tower.
THE TRAIN STATION: DIR Lyana Patrick. PROD Jessica Hallenbeck. Canada.
In this beautifully animated documentary short, filmmaker Lyana Patrick narrates her family’s powerful story of love and survival at Lejac Indian Residential School. US Premiere.
UNDER THE LEMON TREE (تحت شجرةالليمون): DIR Noor Fawzi Alasswad. PROD Yassmine Hammoudi. Qatar, Palestine.
Under the shade of a lemon tree, a Palestinian woman, Khaldieh, prepares herself a humble breakfast, remembering her former life and lost homeland with an assemblage of simple elements. US Premiere.
UNFORGIVABLE (IMPERDONABLE): DIR Marlén Viñayo. PRODS Marlén Viñayo and Carlos Martínez. El Salvador.
Inside an evangelical Salvadoran prison, a ruthless 18th Street gang hitman is guilty, not only of his crimes, but of the unforgivable sin of being gay.
THE WAY WE WAIT: DIR Ji-Yoon Park. PROD Ji-Yoon Park. South Korea, UK.
The filmmaker has just moved into her 22nd house when she receives a phone call that her grandmother is in critical condition. Belatedly attempting to strengthen their relationship, she awaits the impending loss. North American Premiere.
WHEN WE WERE BULLIES: DIR Jay Rosenblatt. PROD Jay Rosenblatt. USA.
A mind-boggling “coincidence” leads a filmmaker to track down his fifth-grade class, to examine a memory of his own complicity in a bullying incident 50 years ago.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE HINDSIGHT PROJECT
Special to AFI DOCS this year is the Spotlight on the Hindsight Project, sponsored by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.The section presents the world premiere of six short films, which chronicle the experiences of BIPOC communities in the American South and U.S. Territories during the unprecedented events of 2020. The project is produced in partnership by Firelight Media, Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) and Reel South.
FOOD FOR THE POOR (COMIDA PA’ LOS POBRES): DIR Arleen Cruz-Alicea. PRODS Arleen Cruz-Alicea. Puerto Rico (USA).
COMIDA PA’ LOS POBRES follows a young Puerto Rican activist as he confronts the island’s persistent crisis of food insecurity. World Premiere.
MISSING MAGIC: DIR Anissa Latham. PRODS Anissa Latham, Kelsey Harrison. USA.
MISSING MAGIC centers on a young poet and activist in Birmingham, Alabama, as he tries to write his way through the complex history of the city. World Premiere.
NOW LET US SING: DIR Dilsey Davis. USA.
An interfaith, interracial choir in Durham, North Carolina, is forced to take a new direction during the pandemic. World Premiere.
THIS BODY: DIR Zac Manuel. PRODS Lauren Cargo. USA.
As Sydney Hall participates in an experimental coronavirus vaccine trial in hopes of protecting her beloved New Orleans community, she and her loved ones confront the history of medical abuse and experimentation on Black bodies. World Premiere.
UDAAN (SOAR): DIR Amman Abbasi. PRODS Alex Nystrom. USA, Pakistan.
UDAAN (SOAR) follows a young Pakistani woman as she immigrates from Karachi, Pakistan, to a small town in Arkansas to begin her first year of college. World Premiere.
WE STAY IN THE HOUSE: DIR Kiyoko McCrae. PRODS Kiyoko McCrae, Eritria Pitts. USA.
A group of New Orleans mothers struggle to care for their families and themselves throughout the pandemic. Utilizing video diaries, it provides an intimate portrait of mothering during a time of crisis. World Premiere.
About AFI DOCS
AFI DOCS is the American Film Institute’s annual documentary festival historically held in Washington, DC. Presenting the year’s best documentaries, AFI DOCS is the only festival in the U.S. dedicated to screenings and events that connect audiences, filmmakers and policy leaders in the heart of our nation’s government. The AFI DOCS advisory board includes Ken Burns, Davis Guggenheim, Chris Hegedus, Werner Herzog, Rory Kennedy, Barbara Kopple, Spike Lee, Errol Morris, Stanley Nelson and Frederick Wiseman. Now in its 19th year, the festival will be held June 22-27, 2021. Visit DOCS.AFI.com and connect on Twitter.com/AFIDOCS, Facebook.com/AFIDOCS, YouTube.com/AFI and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About the American Film Institute (AFI) Established in 1967, the American Film Institute is the nation’s nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring artists and audiences through initiatives that champion the past, present and future of the moving image. AFI’s pioneering programs include filmmaker training at the AFI Conservatory; year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and at AFI Festivals across the nation; workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community; honoring today’s masters through the AFI Life Achievement Award and AFI AWARDS; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films that uphold film history for future generations. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
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About Meet the Press with Chuck Todd
Meet the Press with Chuck Todd is where newsmakers come to make news — setting the political agenda and spotlighting the impact Washington decision-making has on Americans across the country. It is the #1 most-watched Sunday public affairs show for the 2019-2020 season, reaching more than three million viewers every Sunday and millions more through social, digital and on-demand platforms. Meet the Press brings its authority and influencer interviews to MSNBC with MTP Daily weekdays at 1 p.m. ET, to the ongoing weekly podcast, The Chuck ToddCast, and to Meet the Press Reports, a 30-minute program on NBC News NOW and Peacock, focusing on a single topic explored through the Meet the Press lens. It’s the longest-running show in television history, recently expanding its brand to also include a political short-documentary film festival in collaboration with the American Film Institute. Chuck Todd is the political director of NBC News and the moderator of Meet the Press; John Reiss is the executive producer.
Buried was selected by Mountainfilm Online attendees as the 2021 audience favorite. The film transports us back to March 1982 when a monster storm rolled into Alpine Meadows, one of the most avalanche-prone ski resorts in the U.S. As directors Jared Drake and Steven Siig deliver a taut autopsy of that fateful event, key players dig through painful memories to relive what happens when nature overwhelms.
Buried spoke intimately to Mountainfilm’s audience, many of whom live and play in the mountains and know the danger of avalanches firsthand. “We found throughout the weekend that people were pulling us aside telling us their stories of trauma, and we realized that this film was a really cathartic experience for anyone dealing with any kind of trauma,” said Drake, who attended Mountainfilm in Telluride along with Siig. “Being [in Telluride] and connecting with other filmmakers and seeing what the festival is about was just phenomenal. Being a part of it is a huge honor and to walk away with the Audience Choice is completely unexpected, we’re just speechless.” Funded in Part by Tully & Elise Friedman
STUDENT CHOICE AWARD BLACKICE
Every year, high school students from the immersive Mountainfilm for Students program select a film they feel will most inspire their generation. This year, the award went to Black Ice, a film from Reel Rock 15 that was directed by Peter Mortimer and Zachary Barr. The film follows a group of climbers from Memphis, Tennessee who join legendary climber Conrad Anker on an ice climbing excursion in Montana. In addition to delivering a dose of action and adventure, the film unflinchingly addresses the racial inequity of outdoor recreation and the communities where it flourishes. As one Memphis climber observes, “Montana is so white, it makes your eyes hurt.”
When announcing the award winner, participants in the Mountainfilm for Students program stated that “Black Ice addressed so many relevant topics such as racial discrimination, childhood trauma, overcoming personal fears, and building community. Issues that should resonate with any generation both nationally and internationally.”
Funded by Telluride Academy and Tully & Elise Friedman
And the previously announced Mountainfilm juried award winners are:
*Mountainfilm is a documentary film festival that showcases nonfiction stories about environmental, cultural, climbing, political and social justice issues. Along with exceptional documentaries, the festival goes beyond the film medium by bringing together world-class athletes, change makers and visionary artists for a multi-dimensional celebration of indomitable spirit.
Larry Gleeson at the 2019 Telluride Film Festival.
AFI Tradition Includes Honorees Spike Lee, Barbara Kopple, Martin Scorsese, Errol Morris, Lee Grant, Stanley Nelson
AFI DOCS Will Celebrate Award-Winning Filmmaker on June 23, 2021
AFI DOCS, the American Film Institute’s documentary film festival, has announced that it will honor Dawn Porter as the 2021 Charles Guggenheim Symposium honoree.
Each year, the AFI DOCS Charles Guggenheim Symposium honors a master of the nonfiction art form. This year’s virtual Symposium will include a free screening of Dawn Porter’s new documentary with National Geographic Documentary Films RISE AGAIN: TULSA AND THE RED SUMMER and an in-depth conversation with Porter, moderated by Variety’s Clayton Davis.
“Dawn Porter’s voice echoes with power by combining the political with the deeply personal,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “Her presence is imperative in today’s world, and we are honored to shine a light upon her life and her work at AFI DOCS.”
AFI President, Bob Gazzale (Photo byTom Kochel)
Porter’s new film RISE AGAIN: TULSA AND THE RED SUMMER follows award-winning Washington Post journalist DeNeen Brown as her investigation into a mass grave in her home state of Oklahoma leads her to dig deeper into the racial violence of the early 20th century. The film comes one hundred years after the Tulsa Massacre of 1921, during which hundreds of Tulsa’s Black residents were murdered and thousands were displaced.
“With each of her projects, Dawn Porter turns our attention to a previously unexamined topic or invites us to take a fresh look at something we thought we already knew – and she does that again with RISE AGAIN: TULSA AND THE RED SUMMER,” said Sarah Harris, AFI Festivals Director of Programming. “This is the kind of film that embodies the spirit of AFI DOCS, and we are honored to have it as part of our programming.”
A University of Georgetown Law School alumna, Dawn Porter turned her career from law to film in the late 2000s, executive-producing documentary, and narrative films. Porter made her directorial debut with GIDEON’S ARMY (2013), a documentary about three Black public defenders in the South, which won best editing at Sundance and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and an Emmy®. GIDEON’S ARMY is now part of the US Department of State’s American Film Showcase, the State Department’s cultural diplomacy program, and film collection.
Porter’s documentaries SPIES OF MISSISSIPPI (2014), about a secret, state-funded anti-civil rights movement, and TRAPPED (2016), exploring TRAP Laws (“Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers”) that regulate abortion clinics in the South, both aired as part of PBS’ Independent Lens series. Additionally, TRAPPED won the Special Jury Prize for Social Impact Filmmaking at Sundance and went on to win a Peabody Award.
Throughout her career, Porter has been commissioned by the Center for Investigative Reporting, Time and Essence Magazines, The New York Times Op Docs, and Amazon to create and direct films. Her most recent works, all released in 2020, examine the lives of three varied Americans who made an impact on the political and social climates, including Obama White House photographer Pete Souza (THE WAY I SEE IT), Clinton advisor and Civil Rights leader Vernon Jordan (VERNON JORDON: MAKE IT PLAIN), and Civil Rights icon Congressman John Lewis (JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE).
Porter’s next major project will be an AppleTV+ documentary series with Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry about mental illness and mental well-being.
Porter joins a renowned list of Guggenheim Symposium honorees: Charles Guggenheim (2003), Barbara Kopple (2004), Martin Scorsese (2006), Jonathan Demme (2007), Spike Lee (2008), Albert Maysles (2009), Frederick Wiseman (2010), Chris Hegedus and D. A. Pennebaker (2011), Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky (2012), Errol Morris (2013), Alex Gibney (2014), Stanley Nelson (2015), Werner Herzog (2016), Laura Poitras (2017), Steve James (2018), Freida Lee Mock (2019), and Lee Grant (2020).
Passes to AFI DOCS 2021 are now available at DOCS.AFI.com. Early Bird pricing will be available until June 1. Tickets for individual and in-person screenings will be available June 8. To become an AFI member, visit AFI.com/join.
