The American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity, operating under a fiscal sponsorship from the Inquring Systems Inc. (ISI), and our Presenting Sponsors: the Supple Foundation.   Founder Teddy Grouya sought to create a forum to celebrate and promote documentary film, and the independent filmmakers around the world who bring knowledge and awareness through their stories about real people and issues. Created in 2011, AmDocs takes place annually in Palm Springs, California, just 90 minutes east of Hollywood and with a proven track record of viewing audiences that support independent film.

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The Supple Foundation's purpose and mission is to support cultural arts programs, events and scholarships through grants to the non-profit sector in the Greater Palm Springs area and to sponsor other charitable and educational activities.

 

Our inaugural festival, in April 2012, honored Oscar winner Oliver Stone on Opening Night with the "Filmmaker Who Makes A Difference" award, and the screening of his provocative documentary, "Commandante." That year, AmDocs screened 80 international films in a single theatre. Since then, AmDocs has grown exponentially, with honorees and guests including 5-time Grammy winner Dionne Warwick, Oscar nominee Julie Cohen, actor Peter Coyote, acting legend and humanitarian George Takei, Oscar nominee Peter Bogdanovich, director Joe Berlinger, actor Pierce Brosnan, Indigenous Peoples activist Sacheen Littlefeather, actor Shia LaBeouf, 7-time Emmy winner Ed Asner, 11-time NAACP Image Award winner Kristoff St. John, activist Cleve Jones, and many more. Our 2013 festival was the first to include animated film entries. 

 

AmDocs is recognized as an important venue for filmmakers, named one of the Top 5 Coolest Documentary Film Festivals in the World, and one of the Top 25 Film Festivals in the World Worth The Entry Fee by MovieMaker Magazine. Over 2,000 films were reviewed for screening consideration in the past year, when AmDocs was named one of the Top 100 Best Reviewed Film Festivals in the World by FilmFreeway.com.

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Several years ago, AmDocs initiated a new and unique Film Festival Alliance -- the North-South Doc Network -- in which several important international Film Festivals provide access to films within each of the participating Festivals' programs, creating a formal international circuit of festivals in which select films will screen. We are proud to partner with Jihlava IDFF (Czech Republic), DocsMX (Mexico), DokuFest (Kosovo), Anibar (Kosovo), TAF (Greece), CTAIF (South Africa).

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In support of our commitment to further documentary film awareness and education, AmDocs carries out a variety of outreach activities, including the AmDocs Film Fund Pitch Competition. American documentary filmmakers are eligible to participate in the Pitch Competition and submit proposals to compete for financing of new projects, as well as works currently in progress. Film Funds such as this are rare in the U.S., and AmDocs is proud to be able to provide this support. Past recipients included films that went on to be shortlisted for the Oscars, picked up by major distributors such as HBO, as well as win television's Emmy.

 

AmDocs is made possible through the generosity of individuals, foundations and businesses that support it by making contributions, purchasing tickets, and providing in-kind services and materials. The festival is grateful for this support.