PAST WINNERS
See some of our past winners (this is not the full list going back due to space) at the American Documentary and Animation (AmDocs) Film Festival in Palm Springs include a variety of filmmakers from diverse backgrounds. From first-time filmmakers to seasoned veterans of the industry, those selected for yearly AmDocs honors have been deserving.
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2023
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Best Documentary Short -Flightpath, USA, David Grabias
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Best International Feature - Motu Haka, FRANCE, Raynald Mérienne
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Best International Short - Carpenter, IRAN, Xelîl Sehragerd
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Best Animated Short - Pete, USA, Bret Parker
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Best Animation Feature Award - Slide, USA, Bill Plympton
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Film Fund Winners: Riley Hooper, Lynne Siefert
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2022
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Best American Feature - Powerlands, USA, Ivey-Camille Manybeads Tso
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Best American Short - Inside The Beauty Bubble, USA, C. Bookout, C. Gaulke
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Best International Feature - Ballet In Tandem, TAIWAN, Wei-Hsin YANG
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Best Documentary Short - Ayoungman, CANADA, Larry Day
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​Best Animation Short Award - 7lbs., 8oz, USA, Yoo Lee
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Film Fund Finalists: As part of Jihlava International co-awards
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2021
Best International Short: "The Siege", RUSSIA, by Andrey Furmanchuk
​Best International Short: "The Siege", RUSSIA, by Andrey Furmanchuk
Best International Short Jury Award: "Charlie Surfer", NORWAY, by Pia Strømme
Best National Short: "Meltdown In Dixie", USA, Emily Harrold
Best National Short Jury Award: "The FBI's Secret War", USA, by David Reppond
Best International Feature: "The Neurosurgeon", POLAND, by Magdalena Zagała AND "Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony", FRANCE, by Clara & Julia Kuperberg
Best Domestic Feature: "White Noise", USA, by Daniel Lombraso
Best Domestic Feature Jury Award: "My Name Is Lopez", USA, P. David Ebersole, Todd Hughes
Best Animated Short: "Reign Of The Umbrella Man", USA, by Eric Fisher AND "To The Dusty Sea", FRANCE, by Héloïse Ferlay
Best Animated Work Jury Award: "Oxygen", BELGIUM, by Rocky Grispen, Violette Belzer AND "The Credits Movie", USA, Jeffrey Askin
Film Fund Pitch Winners "Only In Theatres" by Raphael Sbarge AND "Exodus Stories" by Ilse Fernandez AND "El Oaxaqueño" by David Zlutnick.
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2020 - No formal winners due to Covid Restrictions
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2019
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Best American Feature - KIFARU
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Best American Short - NOBLE SISSLE'S SYNCOPATED RAGTIME
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Best International Feature - DEFEND, CONSERVE, PROTECT
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Best International Short - CRICKET LIU
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International Jury Award - LINE
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Best Animation Short Award - GIRL IN THE HALLWAY
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Audience Favorite Short - SPACE TO EXPLORE
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Film Fund Pitch Winners
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Finding YingYing / Take One Shot / This Is National Wake
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Special Awards
Seeing the Bigger Picture Award - Julie Cohen
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Rozene Supple Humanitarian Award - Sacheen Littlefeather
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Sadie Katz Award for Hustle - M. Douglas Silverstein, The Weight of Success
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2018
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Best American Feature - CHURCH & STATE
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Best American Short - LOTTE THAT SILHOUETTE GIRL
U.S. Special Jury Award (Short) - THE GIRL AND THE PICTURE
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International Special Jury Award (Short) - THEA
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​International Special Jury Award (Feature) - TO VALHALLA
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U.S. Feature - MANRY AT SEA
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International Feature - MY LIFE WITHOUT AIR
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International Short - BLACK MAMBAS
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Audience Favorite Short - ON MY WAY OUT: The Secret Life Of Nani And Popi
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Best Animated Short - The Likes and Dislikes of Marj Bagley
Audience Favorite Feature - THE PUSH
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Film Fund Pitch Winners
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Lights, Camera, Uganda / Hurdle / Represent
Special Awards
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​Seeing The Bigger Picture Award - LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner
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Rozene Supple Humanitarian Award - George Takei
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Sadie Katz Award for Hustle - Greg Thompson, Becoming Marilyn
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2017
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Film Fund Pitch Winners
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Roar of the Lion Cub / Refusing to Ghost / Manry at Sea / The Judge
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2016
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Film Fund Pitch Winners
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United Skates / The Penny Black / Becoming April March
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2015
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Film Fund Pitch Winners
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The Surrounding Game / The Most Fearless / Encounter
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2013
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Audience Favorite - Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago
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Audience Favorite - Do You Know What My Name Is?
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Audience Favorite - Dance For Me
Film Fund Pitch Winners
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Power of Pearl / The Spark / Beerato - The Land of Woman
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2012
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Audience Favorite - I Stand Corrected
Film Fund Pitch Winners
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American Bear / Dead Man Rockin' / The Trials of Muhammad Ali
