Several documentary film festivals focus on specific themes or topics, and some specialize in presenting short or experimental films. This list will lead you to them.
Since 1955, Amnesty International Film Festival has taken place in Amsterdam and, for the past two years, The Hague. The program includes documentaries and narrative features that focus on human rights and human dignity. In seminars and discussions about the films, filmmakers, human rights activists and audiences have the opportunity to exchange ideas and views.
Held in March in various venues in London, and in June in New York at Lincoln Center for the Performing Art's Walter Reade Theater, the traveling Human Rights Watch International Film Festival screens documentaries about some of the world's most pressing social, political and economic issues, ranging from abuse of women and children, to the spread of HIV, to exploitation of workers around the world. This mission-oriented festival is one of the world's most dynamic and important documentary film showcases.
Held annually in April at the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City, Iowa, this festival presents a wide range of short (under 30 minutes) nonfiction films and videos from around the world. Unlike other festivals, Iowa City Documentary Film Festival presents all of its screenings free of charge.
