Silverdocs, the annual documentary festival hosted at AFI Silver Theatre each summer,
announced today that it has a new name (AFI Docs), a new sponsor (Audi), and a new
esteemed panel of advisers (Ken Burns,
Spike Lee,
Barbara Copple, and
Davis Guggenheim, among others).
The largest documentary festival in the US, Silverdocs has long been a highlight of
the summer for filmgoers and Silver Spring residents alike. This year’s festival,
scheduled for June 19 through 23, will still be based at the AFI Silver Theatre but
will also include screenings in downtown Washington in venues on the Mall and in Penn
Quarter. AFI Docs, the name of which refers to the American Film Institute, will also
include a new program called the AFI Catalyst Sessions, which brings together filmmakers,
policy-makers, and audiences to discuss issues affecting Americans today.
“AFI Docs will bring film artists to the forefront of a dialogue with our nation’s
leaders,” said AFI President and CEO
Bob Gazzale in a statement. “History has proven that great change in civil societies is often,
if not always, catalyzed by art. It is this that inspires us to be in Washington,
DC, with storytellers whose voices serve as catalysts for action.”
More information about this year’s slate of films and other scheduled programing will
be posted at the AFI Docs website in coming weeks, and we’ll update
as we learn more about the 2013 festival.
