The American Film Institute Unveils Full Slate of AFI Docs 2015 Films

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Category: Entertainment News
Published on Wednesday, 20 May 2015 15:09
Written by AFI
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AFI DOCS 2015 DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL PROGRAM

OPENING AND CLOSING NIGHT, SPECIAL AND SPOTLIGHT SCREENINGS

Wednesday, June 17

OPENING NIGHT:BEST OF ENEMIES: DIRS Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon. USA.
In the summer of 1968, the media landscape changed forever when ABC hired two politically opposed intellectuals — Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr. — to debate the issues of the day on live television. The directors will be in attendance for a discussion and Q&A following the film.

Thursday, June 18

SPECIAL SCREENING:RISE: THE PROMISE OF MY BROTHER'S KEEPER: DIR Dawn Porter. USA.
Discovery Channel's documentary film about President Obama's challenge to implement a community-level cradle-to-college-and-career strategy for young people, including boys and young men of color, to ensure they can reach their full potential. World premiere.

Friday, June 19

THE CHARLES GUGGENHEIM SYMPOSIUM:The Charles Guggenheim Symposium honors the legacy of the late four-time Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Charles Guggenheim. This year, the free Symposium pays tribute to pioneering documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson. AFI DOCS is proud to present Nelson's latest documentary THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION as part of the 2015 program. The Symposium includes a conversation with Nelson moderated by The Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday and a series of excerpts from his work. Nelson's films include Emmy Award®-nominated THE BLACK PRESS: SOLDIERS WITHOUT SWORDS (1999), Emmy Award®-winning THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL (2003), BEYOND BROWN: PURSUING THE PROMISE (2004), JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLES TEMPLE (2006), Emmy Award®-winning FREEDOM RIDERS (2011) and FREEDOM SUMMER (2014).

SPOTLIGHT SCREENING:MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED: DIR Greg Whiteley. USA.
The American education system has remained virtually unchanged for more than 100 years. In today's highly competitive age of information and technology, experimental schools such as San Diego's High Tech High aim to change that.

SPOTLIGHT SCREENING:THE DIPLOMAT: DIR David Holbrooke. USA.
The son of the late Ambassador Richard Holbrooke unflinchingly examines the career of his brash and talented father, whose life had global reach and unquestioned historical impact.

Saturday, June 20

SPOTLIGHT SCREENING:FIRST AND 17: DIR Brad Horn. USA.
Da'Shawn Hand, the top-ranked high school football recruit of 2013, navigates the pressures of being aggressively pursued by more than 90 colleges. World premiere.

SPOTLIGHT SCREENING:THE ARMOR OF LIGHT: DIR Abigail Disney. USA.
Abigail Disney's directorial debut follows a prominent evangelical Christian leader who begins to reconsider his moral and political assumptions about gun rights after a major tragedy hits close to home.

SPECIAL SCREENING:SALAM NEIGHBOR: DIRS Chris Temple, Zach Ingrasci. USA/Jordan.
A film team spends one month living in Jordan's Syrian Za'tari refugee camp to uncover the personal stories behind a rapidly growing global crisis. World premiere.

Sunday, June 21

CLOSING NIGHT:MAVIS!: DIR Jessica Edwards. USA.
Mavis Staples, the legendary gospel and R&B singer, has been making music for more than 60 years. From her roots in Chicago with the family group The Staple Singers, led by her father, Roebuck "Pops" Staples, to her award-winning work as a solo artist, MAVIS! traces the life and career of a remarkable woman with an unstoppable voice. The director will be in attendance for a discussion and Q&A following the film.

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