Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Announces 2014 Dates

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After another year of of drawing record attendance and selling out a record 46 events , the annual four-day Full Frame Documentary Film Festival will definitely be back for 2014. The 17th annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is confirmed for April 3-6, 2014.

American Promise Takes The Top Award at 2013 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

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The 2013 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Award Winners were announced Sunday afternoon at the festival’s annual Awards Barbecue. The top prize, the Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award was presented to American Promise directed by Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson. This personal film follows the directors’ son and his best friend from their first day of kindergarten through high school graduation, and how their lives diverge.

Considered one of the nation’s premier documentary film festivals, Full Frame is celebrating its 16th annual festival. For the first time, Full Frame is a qualifying event for consideration for nominations for both the Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject and The Producers Guild of America Awards.

2013 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Award Winners

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival to Feature Series of Provocative Conversations for 2013 A&E IndieFilms Speakeasy

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Durham, NC – The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival has announced a series of provocative conversations for the 2013 A&E IndieFilms Speakeasy. Speakeasy conversations will be held Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6, 2013 in the Durham Convention Center during the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.

The Speakeasy is a place where everyone from a first-time filmmaker to industry visionaries like D.A. Pennebaker and Michael Moore can share their expertise, dialogue about the state of documentary filmmaking and tackle issues immediately facing the documentary community.

Panelists include Academy Award-nominated directors, filmmakers whose films have grossed millions of dollars in revenues, as well as provocateurs who are pushing boundaries on topics that are playing out in news headlines and others that are often sidestepped as taboo.

Each panel is filmed and made available online after the festival, and the use of social media is encouraged. The panel conversations are free and open to the public, no ticket is required.  For more information, please visit: http://www.fullframefest.org/filmsevents/speakeasy-conversations/

2013 Full Frame Announces Center Frames, Free Screenings, Garrett Scott Grant and SDF

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The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival has announced additional programming for the 2013 festival: 3 Center Frame programs, 5 Free Screenings, the Southern Documentary Fund: In-the-Works program, and this year’s Garrett Scott Documentary Development Grant recipients.

Three films previously announced in the Invited Program will exhibit as Center Frame screenings in Fletcher Hall of the Carolina Theatre: the World Premiere of Patrick Creadon’s “If You Build It,” the North American Premiere of Patrick Reed’s “Fight Like Soldiers, Die Like Children,” and Greg Barker’s acclaimed documentary “Manhunt.”

Subjects from the films will participate in extended conversations with the filmmakers after each Center Frame screening. The following special guests and newsmakers will all be in attendance:Emily Pilloton and Matthew Miller, the designers from “If You Build It,” Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire featured in “Fight Like Soldiers, Die Like Children,” and Cindy Storer andSusan Hasler from “Manhunt,” members of the original CIA ‘Sisterhood’ involved in tracking Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda.

Now in its seventh year, the 2013 Garrett Scott Documentary Development Grant has been awarded to Lyric R. Cabral for “(T)ERROR”and to Mike Attie and Meghan O’Hara for “In Country.” The Grant’s organizers will join the filmmakers in presenting short excerpts from their works-in-progress prior to the screening of 2011 recipient Lotfy Nathan’s film, “12 O’Clock Boys.” The Grant is awarded in honor of filmmaker Garrett Scott, who made a distinctive mark in the documentary genre during his brief career. It recognizes first-time filmmakers who, like Scott, bring a unique vision to the content and style of their documentary films.

The Southern Documentary Fund is screening in-the-works excerpts from “Occupy the Imagination” by Rodrigo Dorfman and “So Help You God” by Ashley York. The showings will be followed by panel discussions and Q & A sessions with the filmmakers.

Gideon’s Army to Open 2013 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

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The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival which celebrates its 16th annual festival this April, announced its full program lineup of new feature and short films; along with filmmaker Dawn Porter’s critically-acclaimed “Gideon’s Army” as the Opening Night Film.

“Gideon’s Army,” an HBO Documentary Film, follows the personal stories of Travis Williams, Brandy Alexander and June Hardwick, three young public defenders who are part of a small group of idealistic lawyers in the Deep South challenging the assumptions that drive a criminal justice system strained to the breaking point.

The 16th Annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival will be held April 4-7, 2013, in Durham, NC

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival To Honor Filmmakers Jessica Yu, Amir Bar-Lev and A&E IndieFilm's Molly Thompson

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The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival will honor who the festival describe as "three remarkable Americans who have impacted the art, issues and business of documentary filmmaking" at its 16th annual festival April 4-7, 2013. 

Full Frame will pay tribute to Jessica Yu’s visionary film work, has selected Amir Bar-Lev to curate the Thematic Program and will honor A&E IndieFilm’s Vice President Molly Thompson with the Advocate Award.

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Chosen as an Academy Award Qualifying Festival

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Congratulations are in order for the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences notified the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival last week that it has been chosen as an Academy Award® qualifying festival in the Documentary Short Subject category.

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival 2013 Thematic Program and Tribute to Honor Jessica Yu

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The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival has announced its 2013 Thematic Program and Tribute celebrating the work of Academy Award winning filmmaker Jessica Yu. 

The program will be curated by Amir Bar-Lev director of the documentary films “Fighter” (2001), “My Kid Could Paint That” (2007), and “The Tillman Story” (2010). He co-produced the documentary “Trouble The Water” (2008), which won the 2008 Full Frame Grand Jury Award and was a 2009 Academy Award Nominee. Bar-Lev is currently directing “Happy Valley”, about the Penn State scandal.

Documentary Films Screening in Competition at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and Silverdocs Documentary Festival now qualify for The Producers Guild of America Awards

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Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and the AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival have been chosen by The Producers Guild of America as qualifying events for the annual awards.

To determine award nomination eligibility for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Picture, a documentary is eligible for awards consideration if it satisfies one of the exhibition methods stated by the PGA.  Starting this year, a theatrically released documentary that was “in competition” can now be nominated if it screened at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs and South By Southwest. Other exhibition methods include completing a seven day commercial run in a theater located in a PGA sanctioned market or if the documentary premieres on national television.  

Full Frame, AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs, and South By Southwest join an impressive festival list which has traditionally included AFI Fest, Berlin International Film Festival, Cannes Festival International Du Film, Los Angeles Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Venice Film Festival.

Special Flight Tops 2012 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Awards

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The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival announced the 2012 Festival award recipients with “Special Flight” receiving two awards, the Full Frame Grand Jury Award and the Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award..  The 57 documentaries screened in the NEW DOCS Program were eligible.  Twelve awards were presented, including a Special Jury Award and two Honorable Mentions, to eleven different titles.

2012 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Award Winners

The Anne Dellinger Grand Jury Award was presented to “Special Flight (Vol Spécial),” directed by Fernand Melgar. The film focuses on a Swiss detention center where tensions build as rejected asylum seekers await their forced removal from the country they now call home. This award is sponsored by Chuck Pell, CSO Physcient, Inc. and Alpha Cine Labs, Seattle.

The Jury, Judith Ehrlich, Eric Metzgar, and Marco Williams, stated, “Director Fernand Melgar takes us deep inside the world of detained immigrants in Switzerland. With incredible access and patient observation, we experience the complex and powerful relationships between the captives and their captors. An exceptional work of vérité filmmaking, “Special Flight” forces us to confront the contradictions of humane incarceration.”

A Special Jury Award was also presented to “The Law in These Parts (Shilton Ha’Chok),” directed by Ra’anan Alexandrowicz, a meticulously constructed exploration of the complex military laws imposed by Israel on citizens in the occupied territories. The Jury commented, “The Law in These Parts” we honor with a Special Jury Award. We admire its intelligence and unique Brechtian treatment of a very controversial subject.”

The Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short was given to “The Time We Have (Den tid vi har),” directed by Mira Jargil, a beautiful, intimate, and deeply tender look at saying goodbye to the love of your life after 67 years of marriage. The Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short is provided by Drs. Andrew and Barbra Rothschild.

The Jury, Steven Ascher, Jessica Edwards, and Edwin Martinez, stated: “The Jury Award goes to an elegantly realized portrait of a marriage that tenderly explores a husband’s last days with his wife. Beautifully observed, expertly paced, “The Time We Have” intimately captures the power of simple gestures between two people who will always be in love.”

The Jury awarded an honorable mention to “Sivan,” directed by Zohar Elefant, a minimalist portrait of an Israeli soccer fan in thrall to a team and an obsession.  The Jury said: “This Special Jury Award is presented to “Sivan,” a film that employs an innovative directorial approach to a fascinating character to capture a myriad of themes and emotions from one camera angle.”

“Trash Dance,” directed by Andrew Garrison, received the Full Frame Audience Award.  The film documents an unusual partnership between a dancer and the Austin Department of Solid Waste Services to stage a public performance starring man, music, and machine.” Sponsored by Merge Records, the Audience Award is determined by counting audience ballots filled out during the festival.

An Honorable Mention was presented to the short with the highest score, “Fanuzzi’s Gold,” directed by Georgia Gruzen. The film focuses on Ed Fanuzzi, a Staten Island inventor, treasure hunter, and eternal optimist, who sees gold where others see trash.

The Center For Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award was given to “Special Flight (Vol Spécial),” directed by Fernand Melgar. Provided by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, this award honors a documentary artist whose work is a potential catalyst for education and change. Representatives from the Center for Documentary Studies juried the prize: Randy Benson, Katie Hyde, Marc Maximov, Lynn McKnight, Dan Partridge, Tom Rankin, Elena Rue, Teka Selman, and April Walton.

“The Waiting Room,” directed by Peter Nicks, was awarded the Charles E. Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award. This gripping vérité film is a symphony of patients, caregivers, and loved ones, bureaucracy and hard choices, in an Oakland ER’s waiting room. Provided by the Charles E. Guggenheim family,this prize honors a first-time documentary feature director. Natalie Bullock Brown, Heather Courtney, and Mark Elijah Rosenberg participated on the Jury.

“Mr. Cao Goes to Washington,” directed by S. Leo Chiang, received the Full Frame Inspiration Award.  The film captures rookie congressman Joseph Cao of Louisiana as he angers fellow Republicans by befriending President Obama; will bipartisanship reward or ruin his chances for re-election?Sponsored by the Hartley Film Foundation, this award is presented to the film that best exemplifies the value and relevance of world religions and spirituality. Jim Klein, Sarah Masters, and Fiona Otway participated on the Jury.

The Full Frame President’s Award was presented to the “Grandmothers (Abuelas),” directed by Afarin Eghbal. This animated documentary about Argentina’s Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo features stories of women who search for their missing grandchildren. Sponsored by Duke University and aimed at recognizing up-and-coming filmmakers, this prize is awarded to the best student film. Representatives on behalf of the President’s Office juried the prize.

“ESCAPE FIRE: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare,” directed by Susan Froemke and Matthew Heineman, received The Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights.  American healthcare has evolved into a profit-driven disease-care system—this film closely examines the medical industry and bold new measures that may help ease what ails us. Provided by the Julian Price Family Foundation, this award is presented to a film that addresses a significant human rights issue in the United States. Representatives from the Kathleen Bryan Edwards family juried the prize: Anne Arwood, Laura Edwards, Clay Farland, Margaret Griffin, and Pricey Harrison.

The Nicholas School Environmental Award was presented to “Chasing Ice” directed by Jeff Orlowski. In this film, scientific fact and aesthetic beauty merge in monumental and dramatic time-lapse photos illustrating global warming’s chilling ravages. The Nicholas School Environmental Award honors the film that best depicts the conflict between our drive to improve living standards through development and modernization, and the imperative to preserve both the natural environment that sustains us and the heritages that define us. Representatives from the Nicholas School of the Environment juried the Prize: Cindy Horn, Stephen Nemeth, Rebecca Patton, and Tom Rankin.

The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival was held April 12-15 in downtown Durham with Duke University as the presenting sponsor.  105 films representing 27 countries were shown from morning to midnight, many with panel discussions following the screening.  In addition to the NEW DOCS Program, Full Frame presented a Thematic Program consisting of 10 films, a collection of four films surrounding the Full Frame Tribute, and an Invited Program comprised of 30 films.