SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Film Festival

By Tia Howard
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Riderwood is hosting an inside look at the nation’s top international documentary festival, SILVERDOCS. This free film preview is on Thursday, June 1 from 1 - 3 p.m. in the Encore Theatre at Riderwood.

This is the most competitive year in history—with an unprecedented number of entries, according to Sky Sitney, SILVERDOCS programming director who will speak during Riderwood’s free film preview.

The six-day international festival will showcase nearly 100 films and special screenings at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD from  June 13 - 18, 2006.

Ten feature length documentaries compete for the $25,000 combined cash and in-kind Sterling Award. Among the program highlights includes a four day conference for filmmakers from around the world, with keynote speaker, former Vice President Al Gore, who is featured in the environmental documentary, An Inconvenient Truth.

“It’s an honor to help expand the influence of documentary film with a special sneak peek,” says Pat Myers, community relations director at Riderwood.