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

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced AFI DOCS opens with Magnolia Pictures' BEST OF ENEMIES from director Robert Gordon and Academy Award®-winning director Morgan Neville and concludes with the HBO documentary film MAVIS! from AFI DOCS alumna Jessica Edwards.

The slate of films for the 13th edition of AFI DOCS 2015 Film Festival, running June 17–21 in Washington, DC and Silver Spring, MD., showcases 81 films representing 25 countries, including four world premieres, three U.S. premieres and four East Coast premieres.

AFI DOCS will recognize Emmy®Award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson (THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION) as its 2015 Charles Guggenheim honoree at the National Archives' William G. McGowan Theater onJune 19.

Spotlight Screenings include THE ARMOR OF LIGHT (DIR Abigail Disney), THE DIPLOMAT (DIR David Holbrooke), the world premiere of FIRST AND 17 (DIR Brad Horn) and MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED (DIR Greg Whiteley). Panel discussions or extended Q&As with special guests will follow each Spotlight Screening.

This year's AFI DOCS program also includes two Special Screenings. The world premiere of Discovery's RISE: THE PROMISE OF MY BROTHER'S KEEPER (DIR Dawn Porter) screens at the Newseum onJune 18. SALAM NEIGHBOR (DIRS Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci) coincides with World Refugee Day with a world premiere screening onJune 20.

Additional films from notable documentarians include IN TRANSIT (DIR Albert Maysles, Lynn True, Nelson Walker, Ben Wu and David Usui), the East Coast premiere of STEVE JOBS: THE MAN IN THE MACHINE (DIR Alex Gibney) and THE LOOK OF SILENCE from AFI DOCS alumnus Joshua Oppenheimer.

"Audiences will see the most renowned documentary films of the year, all of which will inspire, inform and entertain," said Michael Lumpkin, Director of AFI DOCS. "This year's slate celebrates documentary filmmaking while providing a launch pad for meaningful dialogue between audience members, filmmakers and policy leaders."

AFI DOCS will offer additional programs for festival filmmakers as a way to connect with film industry and policy leaders. The festival will also include a two-day Filmmaker Conference open to the documentary filmmaking community at-large. Details will be announced in the coming weeks.

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