Docs In Progress is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Tuesday, May 20 with Decade of Docs, a special evening for the Washington DC area's filmmaking community. This event will honor the past 10 years of Docs In Progress and the filmmakers we have helped to nurture while also looking forward to the future.  Ten years and more than 1000 filmmakers later, Docs In Progress is honoring the achievements of its community with a series of awards for alumni of its film programs, as well as a special award for Sky Sitney for her contributions to the Washington DC documentary film community during her eight years with the Silverdocs/AFI Docs Film Festival. Sitney will also join filmmaker Doug Block (51 Birch Street, 112 Weddings, The D-Word), Documentary Center Director Nina Seavey, and StoryCodeDC's Felicia Pride for a special panel discussion on the future of documentary film and filmmaking. 

 

Awards will be given in the following categories

DOCS-IN-SERVICE AWARD: A special award to recognize someone who has made a difference to the regional documentary community.

Sky Sitney

ARTS IN FOCUS: Given to an alumni film which effectively spotlights an artist or artform.

Nominees:

The Creators (Laura Gamse)

The Last Song Before the War (Kiley Kraskouskas, Andrea Papitto, Leola Calzolai-Stewart)

New Orleans Rising (John King)

R. Luke DuBois: Running Out of Time (Paul Moon)

Through the Eye of the Needle: The Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz (Nina Shapiro-Perl)

The Vigil (Arya Surowidjojo)

CAPITAL CITY AWARD: Given to an alumni film which tells the story of the Washington DC beyond the monuments.

Nominees:

 

Ballou (Michael Patrei and Casey Callister)

The Bayou: DC's Killer Joint (Dave Lilling, Bill Scanlan, Dave Nuttycombe, Vinnie Perrone)

Chinatown (Yi Chen)

Fate of a Salesman (Ben Crosbie and Tessa Moran)

The Legend of Cool "Disco" Dan (Joseph Pattissal and Roger Gastman)

Redemption Stone: the Life and Times of Tom Lewis (Tom Dziedzic)

EMERGENCE AWARD: Given to a Docs In Progress community member who has grown the most from a fledgling filmmaker to a full-fledged filmmaker.

Nominees:

Dean Hamer

Hilary Linder

Paul Moon

Lillie Paquette

Joe Wilson

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY AWARD: Given to an alumni film which focuses on a historical event or figure with creativity and insight.

Nominees:

Breaking Through the Clouds (Heather Taylor)

Forgotten Soldiers (Donald Plata)

Let the Fire Burn (Jason Osder)

The New Woman: Annie 'Londonderry' Kopchovsky (Gillian Willman)

Three Stories of Galicia (Olha Onyshko and Sarah Farhat)

Yes We Did! The People's Inauguration (Brian Pascale and Andre Dahlman)

PERSONAL DOCUMENTARY AWARD: Given to an alumni film in which the filmmaker successfully transcends a personal story into a universal one.

Nominees:

Broken Hearts and Butterflies (Kimberley R. Williams)

Fagbug Nation (Erin Davies)

It's Only (a) Natural (Yolanda Lee and Richard Lewis)

Lost Sparrow (Chris Billing)

Out in the Silence (Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson)

Unraveling Michelle (Dan Shaffer and Michelle Farrell)

SHORT DOCUMENTARY AWARD: Given to an alumni film which is 40 minutes or shorter.

Nominees:

Chinatown (Yi Chen)

Fate of a Salesman (Ben Crosbie and Tessa Moran)

Life as a Collage (Forrest Penrod)

The New Woman: Annie 'Londonderry' Kopchovsky (Gillian Wellman)

Redemption Stone: the Life and Times of Tom Lewis (Tom Dziedzic)

Through the Eye of the Needle: The Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz (Nina Shapiro-Perl)

SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD: Given to an alumni film which has helped raise awareness, change minds, and open dialogue about important social issues.

Nominees:

Black Diamonds (Catherine Pancake)

The Lost Dream (Jehan Harney)

Lost Sparrow (Chris Billing)

No Evidence of Disease (Andrea Kalin)

Out in the Silence (Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson)

SOLD: Fighting the New Global Slave Trade (Jody Hassett-Sanchez)

WINDOW TO THE WORLD: Given to an alumni film which provides a new perspective on an international issue.

Nominees:

The Creators (Laura Gamse)

The Last Song Before the War (Kiley Kraskouskas, Andrea Papitto, Leola Calzolai-Stewart)

The Lost Dream (Jehan Harney)

SOLD: Fighting the New Global Slave Trade (Jody Hassett-Sanchez)

Up to the Mountain, Down to the Village (Chris Billing)

We Are Egypt: the Story Behind the Revolution: the (Lillie Paquette)

WOMEN IN DOCS: Honoring an alumni film which tells an important story about women.

Nominees:

Beauty In the Eyes of the Beheld (Liza Figueroa)

Breaking Through the Clouds (Heather Taylor)

Yoo-Hoo Mrs. Goldberg (Aviva Kempner)

The New Woman: Annie 'Londonderry' Kopchovsky (Gillian Wellman)

Unraveling Michelle (Dan Shaffer and Michelle Farrell)

The award winners will be announced at Decade of Docs on Tuesday, May 20 in Washington DC. Tickets are now available to attend this event. More details at http://docsinprogress.org/events/196/decade-of-docs-awards-evening/