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ABOUT SILVERDOCS
SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival is a six-day international festival held each June just outside Washington, DC. Created through a unique alliance between the American Film Institute and the Discovery Channel, SILVERDOCS seeks to expand the audience for and broaden the impact of documentary film. It celebrates the diversity of the form and its power to engage audiences with compelling stories of real life, inviting them to explore the significant issues of our time.
THE FESTIVAL
Now in its fourth year, SILVERDOCS screens almost 100 films at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, the most advanced film and video exhibition space of its kind in the United States--in a state-of-the-art and architecturally significant screening environment. The Festival extends to Discovery World Headquarters and into the local community with gala premiere events, evening and special programs, free outdoor screenings and concerts, and the SILVERDOCS Cinema Lounge, the social hub of the Festival, with entertainment, meeting space and wireless Internet.
NOTABLE GUESTS
SILVERDOCS guests have included Madeline Albright, Lance Armstrong, Lynda Carter, Geraldine Chaplin, Sheryl Crow, TIME Magazine's Matt Cooper, Richard Dreyfuss, Zach Galifianakis, Judy Gold, Gilbert Gottfried, ABC's Mark Halperin, Tony Hawk, Perry Henzell, Werner Herzog, Palm Pictures' David Koh, Albert Maysles, Stanley Nelson, Edward Norton, Eleanor Holmes Norton, John Podesta, Paul Provenza, ABC's Joel Siegel, Penelope Spheeris, Sweet Honey in the Rock and Fred Willard.
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY CONFERENCE
The three-day SILVERDOCS International Documentary Conference is held concurrently with the Festival, June 15-17, 2006. Attended by over 450 filmmakers and film/TV executives, it connects professionals from the US and abroad at workshops, seminars and networking events, contributing to the advancement of the form and the development of new projects. It is a must-attend event for both veteran and novice documentary filmmakers to learn the ins-and-outs of filmmaking from seasoned pros and forge partnerships that last a lifetime.
FILM PROGRAM STRANDS
Sterling Award Feature Film Competition - A distinguished selection of new documentaries from around the world that demonstrate a bold commitment to subject matter, excellence in cinematic craft and innovation in storytelling.
World View - A diverse and colorful collection of documentaries from the United States and abroad that uncover the thriving creative forces found in every corner of the world.
Special Screenings - Documentaries that link the range of issues and viewpoints inherent in the documentary form with the diverse and informed audiences of the Washington, DC, area. Each Special Screening will be followed by a lively discussion, featuring special guests who will share their expert insight with the audience.
Short Film Programs - A selection of documentaries under 40 minutes that give the audience a concentrated dose of intellect, humor, passion, humanity and more.
CHARLES GUGGENHEIM SYMPOSIUM
Also at SILVERDOCS, the Annual Charles Guggenheim Symposium, named for the late four-time Academy Award(R) winner. The Guggenheim Symposium honors filmmakers who exhibit a passion for their subject, convey a profound respect for democratic values, and have mastered the power of the documentary to capture current events and frame history. Two-time Academy Award" winner Barbara Kopple was honored in 2004.
AWARDS
SILVERDOCS presents several awards during the Festival. Award-winning films receive additional screenings on the closing day of the Festival.
SILVERDOCS STERLING AWARDS
The SILVERDOCS Jury, comprised of a distinguished group of documentary film professionals, will present the SILVERDOCS Sterling Award to the most exceptional feature-length documentary screening in the competition category. The award winner will receive over $35,000 in combined cash and prizes.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LIST OF PREVIOUS JURY MEMBERS
SILVERDOCS SHORT FILM AWARD
The SILVERDOCS Shorts Jury will give the Short Film Award to the documentary that tells a concise story in the most eloquent and powerful way.
* Sterling Award Best Short Film: $5,000 in cash and prizes
SILVERDOCS AUDIENCE AWARDS
The SILVERDOCS Audience Award will be presented to the feature-length and short documentaries deemed most popular by Festival attendees. Documentaries completed before March 1, 2005, are not eligible for the Audience Award.
SILVERDOCS 2005 AWARD WINNERS
Sterling Award Best Feature Film: DARWIN'S NIGHTMARE by Hubert Sauper
Best Short Film: POSITIVELY NAKED by Arlene Donnelly Nelson and David Nelson
Best Music Documentary: YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME by Keven McAlester
Audience Award Best Feature Film: (tie) STREET FIGHT by Marshall Curry and THE BOYS OF BARAKA by Heidi Ewing
Audience Award Best Short Film: GOD SLEEPS IN RWANDA by Kimberlee Acquaro and Stacy Sherman
Special Jury Mention, Feature Film: ROMANTICO by Mark Becker and HOME by Jeffrey Togman
Special Jury Mention, Short Film: FLAG DAY by Kristy Higby and GOD SLEEPS IN RWANDA by Kimberlee Acquaro and Stacy Sherman
CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS
YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING:
SILVERDOCS presents special documentary screenings throughout the year in Washington, DC, at the AFI Silver, New York, Los Angeles and other major cities. In October of 2005, SILVERDOCS will present a selection of screenings and workshops in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, exploring how documentary film can engage, inspire and entertain audiences while encouraging social discourse and civic engagement. The program will also travel abroad in February of 2006 and is sponsored by the US Department of State 'CultureConnect' program.
SILVERDOCS: UNIQUE ALLIANCE
AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. AFI trains the next generation of filmmakers at its world-renowned Conservatory, maintains America's film heritage through the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and explores new digital technologies in entertainment and education through the AFI Digital Content Lab and K-12 Screen Education Center. As the largest nonprofit exhibitor in the US, AFI ON SCREEN encompasses the annual AFI FEST presented by Audi: AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival-as well as year-round programming at ArcLight Hollywood and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, including SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival. AFI AWARDS, the annual almanac for the 21st century, honors the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year, while AFI's 100 Years . . . series has ignited extraordinary public interest in classic American movies. And, during the past 33 years, AFI's Life Achievement Award has become the highest honor for a career in film. Additional information about AFI is available at AFI.com.
Discovery Communications, Inc. is the leading global real-world media and entertainment company. Discovery has grown from its core property, the Discovery Channel, first launched in the United States in 1985, to current global operations in more than 160 countries and territories with 1.3 billion cumulative subscribers. DCI's over 90 networks of distinctive programming represent 25 network entertainment brands including TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, The Science Channel, Military Channel, Discovery Home Channel, Discovery en Espanol, Discovery Kids En Espanol, Discovery HD Theater, FitTV, Discovery Travel & Living (Viajar y Vivir), Discovery Home & Health and Discovery Real Time. DCI's other properties consist of Discovery Education and Discovery Commerce, which operates 120 Discovery Channel Stores. DCI also distributes BBC America in the United States. DCI's ownership consists of four shareholders: Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Cox Communications, Inc., Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, the Company's Founder and Chairman.
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