Documentary film industry darling Pat Aufderheide, Professor of Communications, American University; author,"Documentary Film: A Very Short Introduction" (Oxford)
She is doing great work for documentary filmmakers, fair use and so much more.
Listen to her talk about the future of documentary one day post-Oscars on D.C's public radio / NPR affiliate, WAMU.

Good luck to all of the filmmakers showing their docs at DocuWeek and to those who are going for it on their own, such as the SILVERDOCS 2007 Sterling Award Winner, Best Feature, PLEASE VOTE FOR ME
by Weijun Chen, who lined up a theatrical rollout in LA at the Laemmle Grande, 7/27 - 8/2 and Laemmle Regency LIDO, 7/23 -7/25. Don't miss this film!

Also, be sure to check out the SILVERDOCS panel OSCAR IN THE FUTURE: New Qualifying Rules for Docs,
which is streaming on IDA's home page
courtesy of Joel Heller/Docs That Inspire.

For those of you who made it to SILVERDOCS and caught FRANK AND CINDY,
G.J. Echternkamp's doc about his Mom and beer swilling 80's band OXO pop star step dad, this will be even sweeter, but even if you didn't make it, this is a sweet read! The film subjects had such a blast at SILVERDOCS, that Cindy thinks Frank may put it above his Oxo exprience in the 80's as an alltime high. By no means can we compete with 80's pop, but I am glad that we delivered on the experience for them. Save this read for when you really need a good laugh. Her prose does live up up to the phrase 'stranger than fiction.' I heart Frank & Cindy!
Cindy's Blog
(Start at the bottom and read up)

This is definitely the best year yet for SILVERDOCS. I'm here at the AFI Silver winding down and reflecting on the last four days. A few highlights from my day yesterday include a Silver Session discussion with Josh Braun of Submarine Entertainment, a fabulous q&a with director Oliver Hodge and film subject Michael Reynolds at the US premiere of GARBAGE WARRIOR, filmmaker party at the Moose Lodge, complete with trucker swag in honor of Doug Pray's BIG RIG and last but not least a spontaneous dance party in the auto repair shop parking lot with some of our international guests.
Our guests are really energized about all there is to take in and there are still two full days to go.

Here's a glimpse of Saturday and Sunday:

CLOSING NIGHT FILM, RECEPTION, and PARTY
East Coast Premiere of ARCTIC TALE by Sarah Robertson and Adam Ravetch
6:30 p.m. in the AFI Silver Theatre.
National Geographic Films, the producers of MARCH OF THE PENGUINS, and Paramount Vantage, the distributors of AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, present this
epic adventure that explores the vast world of the Great North. The film follows the walrus, Seela and the polar bear, Nanu, on their journey from birth to parenthood in the Arctic wilderness.

Closing night reception to follow in the Cinema Lounge with an after-party at Jackie’s Restaurant.

11:00 a.m. World Premiere of LIVING GODDESS
Director Ishbel Whitaker and the Kumari herself present the World Premiere of LIVING GODDESS, a lush tale of a girl-child known as the Kumari, considered to be the incarnation of the Hindu goddess Kali.. She lives a peaceful and sheltered life, worshipped even by her parents, while outside her palace, the people are fighting for democracy against a despotic king, the fruition of an ancient prophecy.

The Kumari in attendance!

12:45 p.m. World Premiere of MADE IN LA
Director Almudena Carracedo’s film follows Latina garment workers expending blood, sweat and tears to successfully organize against not only the sweatshops, but the glossy mall stores where there labor is displayed.

3:00 p.m. Director Stephanie Johnes presents the DC Premiere of DOUBLETIME, about competitive fusion double-dutch jump rope, which combines dance, gymnastics, and acrobatics to a pulsing soundtrack. Two winning teenage teams from the Carolinas prepare and compete for nationals at the Apollo Theater in Harlem—and fight intimidation by the world-class Japanese.

Local champion Double Dutch team the Kangaroo kids will perform outdoors preceding the screening.

5:00 p.m. The Sterling Award Ceremony hosted by Arch Campbell will take place in the Cinema Lounge. Filmmakers will be awarded Sterling Awards for Best Feature, Best Short and Best Music Documentary. This year three new awards will be presented as well: The Cinematic Vision Award, the WITNESS Award, and the SILVERDOCS/American Film Market Award. A Best documentary in
the Beyond Belief strand will also be awarded.

6:00 p.m. Director Shimon Dotan presents HOTHOUSE, a gripping look at life behind the prison walls for some of the nearly 10,000 Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli prisons and how prison creates a brotherhood that fuels the political divide.

10:30 p.m. Director G.J. Echternkamp presents the DC Premiere of FRANK AND CINDY, which explores unrealized dreams and the complexity of love in a hilarious portrait. Family life gets disturbing when dad was a one-hit-wonder ‘80s pop star and mom wishes he was so much more.
Frank and Cindy in attendance!

359 days of planning, 1735 film submissions and 15 Festivals visited! We are finally arriving at the opening day of SILVERDOCS 2007!!

This year we have 100 films, 35 film subjects and over 95% of our filmmakers in attendance, making this the best Festival yet. Guests are starting to roll in, including Peter Wintonick of DocAgora and Project Greencode, Marie France Coté of Project Greencode and Matt Dentler of SXSW.

We just found out that Malalai Joya, one of the first female parliamentarians in Afghanistan, will be able to attend for the screening of ENEMIES OF HAPPINESS!! (www.malalaijoya.com)

Hope to see you all in Silver Spring this week!!!

(no jokes folks, I'm not talking about myself. ha.)

SILVERDOCS is rapidly approaching and I can’t wait to meet some of our amazing special guests, one of whom will be a real life goddess. That’s right, a goddess. The 8-year-old girl is considered to be the incarnation of the Hindu goddess Kali, and she’s going to be gracing us with her presence in support of the World Premiere of LIVING GODDESS.

SILVERDOCS is especially honored to have Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme with us this year. We are celebrating his body of documentary work at our Guggenheim Symposium, and he’s presenting the theatrical World Premiere of his latest documentary NEW HOME MOVIES FROM THE LOWER 9TH WARD.

I can’t forget to mention that the awe-inspiring Reverend Billy from WHAT WOULD JESUS BUY? (check out his TODAY show interview), the precision jump ropers from DOUBLETIME and the dysfunctional husband and wife duo from FRANK AND CINDY will all be at SILVERDOCS in their uninhibited glory.

If you haven’t committed to coming to DC for SILVERDOCS, there is still time. It’s a hop, skip, jump or Chinatown bus away from Manhattan…

It was a treat to find this piece in the NY Times Travel/Escapes section
this am, where all the big spring and summer doc fests are featured as a getaway experience.

I wish that I had a chance to make it to Hot Docs, but I'm office bound getting ready for SILVERDOCS in June. My colleagues, Patricia Finneran and Diana Ingraham will make it to Toronto for our Canadian friends' fabulous festival. I can't wait til we are able to reveal our plans for June!