AWARDS NAMESAKES

Since its inception, AmDocs has bestowed awards upon filmmakers who have significantly enhanced global understanding through their impactful films. These visionary filmmakers boast extensive experience in the industry and have often been trailblazers in their field. The prestigious "Seeing The Bigger Picture Award" from AmDocs epitomizes the essence of cinematic excellence and leadership on a global scale. Past winners include Oliver Stone, Peter Bogdanovich, Peter Coyote, Sacheen Littlefeather, George Takei, Joe Berlinger and others.

Each year, the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs) bestows awards upon deserving filmmakers in a variety of categories. Two of those awards carry with them the names of individuals who have achieved special recognition.

In addition to our honors in our film categories, AmDocs is proud to annually present the:

Rozene Supple Humanitarian Award

Sadie Katz Award for Hustle

About our awards namesakes:

Rozene Supple, along with her husband Ric, started the Palm Springs Cultural Center to support educational endeavors for students interested in careers in film, as well as the promotion of health and wellness activities in the Coachella Valley. A longtime philanthropist, her early childhood was spent in Detroit as the only child of George Arthur Richards, owner of a nationwide chain of radio stations. She loves to say she has been involved in radio since 1925, when her father bought his first station -- WJR in Detroit. “I was on air at age 4, doing my rendition of ‘Singing in the Rain’ on Uncle Neil’s Show,” Rozene once said. After meeting at Stanford University and settling in Palm Springs, the Supples became area leaders in the communications industry, owning R&R Broadcasting, which housed the top five radio stations in the Coachella Valley at one time. As owners of the Camelot Theatres, the Supples donated them to the Cultural Center itself a few years ago, and the theatres formally adopted the name of the Palm Springs Cultural Center we know today. Around that same time, the Supples pledged $2 million to the Palm Springs Unified School District to establish the Rozene Supple Endowment, and name the newly renovated Palm Springs High School Auditorium to honor her family name. The Richards Center for the Arts was formally dedicated in November 2016, following an extensive renovation and addition to the auditorium located on the high school campus. Rozene and Ric Supple have spent a lifetime aimed at advancing education, nurturing participation in the cultural arts, and sponsoring scholarships. We are proud to annually name a deserving individual as the recipient of our prized Rozene Supple Humanitarian Award, representing distinguished -- and selfless -- service that makes a difference in the world.

Sadie Katz is a triple threat as an actress, Writer's Guild of America writer, and film director living in Los Angeles. She's had numerous starring roles in popular and successful horror film franchises, including what may be her most recognizable: that of the twisted, sexy Sally Hillicker in 20th Century Fox's cult classic franchise, "Wrong Turn 6." Showing her versatility, Katz also earned critical acclaim playing the sweet, sensitive, leading lady in "Chavez: Cage of Glory," co-starring Danny Trejo and Steven Bauer. On the film festival front, Katz co-starred opposite Academy Award nominee June Squibb and Sean Maher in "The Visit," from director Romina Schwedler, which captured Best Short Film honors at the Oscar-qualifying Burbank International Film Festival. She's now legendary in Palm Springs, with her award-winning, feature documentary directorial debut film, "The Bill Murray Experience," which premiered in 2017 at AmDocs. The film earned worldwide distribution via Gravitas Ventures, and created one of the most buzz-worthy screenings in AmDocs history. At its afternoon premiere in April 2017 at AmDocs, Katz's "The Bill Murray Experience," drew a sellout crowd of over 500, making it the largest crowd for a non-Opening or Closing Night film in AmDocs history to that point. The overflow crowd was due in large part to Katz's diligent work in promoting the film, appearing on local TV newscasts, working the pavement herself and with her team, handing out postcards, and being relentless in public relations and promotion. For her outstanding efforts, we at AmDocs named an award in her honor. Since 2018, we annually bestow the Sadie Katz Award For Hustle to the AmDocs filmmaker who honors her or his work the most, by publicizing and promoting their films, generating excitement, and resulting in a successful, dynamic screening at our festival.