The American Film Institute will be the next organization to carry out its film festival online as the coronavirus pandemic cripples the entertainment industry.
Their annual event, AFI Docs, will be streamed from June 17 to 21 instead of in Washington, D.C. Viewers need to log on at docs.afi.com to watch.
American Film Institute Facebook cover photo
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It will be the 18th annual AFI Docs events, which was supposedly held at venues in Washington, DC, and the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring. MD.
The five-day event will feature the best of contemporary documentary films from across the world. These include world and international premieres as well as works by renowned and promising filmmakers. In 2019, AFI DOCS presented 72 films from 17 countries and numerous special events with over 12,000 audiences.
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The Virtual Film Fest
Opening the festival on is the coming-of-age film Boys State, which recently won Sundance's Grand Jury Prize. The story revolves around a group of 1,000 boys aged 17 from Texas join together to build a government, based on its IMDb synopsis.
It is a project of Jesse Moss, who is known for his "cinéma vérité style" as shown in movies "Dirty Money" and "The Overnighters" as well as by and Amanda McBaine of The Bandit. The online screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and subjects.
The full line-up for the festival will be announced on June 10, but passes will be available as early as June 1.
The virtual event will be broken up into several sections. These include special screenings, followed by conversations and Q&A forums, features, and cinema's legacy, which focused on historically significant documentaries about significant events in America's political history. There are also short films showcasing over 20 films and a virtual AFI Docs Forum.
The AFI Awards
Audiences of the AFI Docs pick the winners for Best Feature and Best Short. In 2019, CHASING THE MOON, directed by Robert Stone, was selected as Best Feature during ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN directed by Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan, was selected as Best Short. Winners of this event have consistently been nominated for various recognitions like the Academy Awards® and Emmy Awards®.
Michael Lumpkin, the director of AFI Festivals, said in a statement on Tuesday that the organization is committed to promoting the documentary art form during the best and in the worst times.
"Now more than ever, we are dedicated to supporting extraordinary films because the world needs stories that educate, inspire hope, and remind us of humanity's strength. AFI Docs is here to help," said Lumpkin.
Meanwhile, AFI DOCS offers filmmaker engagement programs every year to provide additional opportunities for documentary filmmakers to enhance both their careers and the impact of their films.
While AFI DOCS Forum includes filmmaker-focused panels, presentations, and informal meetings, the AFI DOCS Impact Lab is an intensive program for filmmakers for two days. It features issue-driven documentaries who aim to create broader social and political change as well as equip chosen filmmakers with unique training opportunities for advocacy, grassroots communications, and grasstops engagement.
Meanwhile, according to the organization's website, Apple TV+, A24, Audience Network, HBO, National Geographic, PBS, and The Atlantic will have films in this year's festival.
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