Film Program
SILVERDOCS is a major international film festival celebrating the creative vision of independent filmmakers and the power of documentary to expand our world-view and enhance our understanding of events around us.
Now entering its sixth year, SILVERDOCS has been hailed as the ”pre-eminent US documentary festival” by Screen International and as “non-fiction nirvana” by Variety. The Festival features 100 films, representing over 45 countries, and comprises several competitive sections including the Sterling Feature and Short Competition, Music Competition, the WITNESS Award and the Cinematic Vision Award (see a full list of SILVERDOCS Awards below).
SILVERDOCS selects the best of what the documentary film world has to offer – from celebrated works by such luminaries as Martin Scorsese (THE LAST WALTZ), Werner Herzog (GRIZZLY MAN), Albert Maysles (THE GATES) and Michael Apted (49 UP) – to ground-breaking works by first-time documentary filmmakers.
Past SILVERDOCS award winners include JESUS CAMP, BORN INTO BROTHELS, DARWIN’S NIGHTMARE, MY ARCHITECT and STREET FIGHT, all of which were nominated for Academy Awards. In 2006, SILVERDOCS presented the world premiere of THE BLOOD OF YINGZHOU DISTRICT, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.
The Festival’s Guggenheim Symposium celebrates the achievement of great filmmakers; past honorees include Barbara Kopple, Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme.
SILVERDOCS AWARDS & GRANTS:
Ace Documentary Grant
American Film Market Award
Cinematic Vision Award for Short and Feature
Witness Award in honor of Joey R.B. Lozano
Music Award
Sterling Award for Short and Feature
