# AmDocs — American Documentary and Animation Film Festival

Preferred-Name: AmDocs
Canonical-Domain: amdocfilmfest.com
Entity-Type: Local Business
Industry: Film festival, documentary film, animation, independent filmmaking, film submissions, arts non-profit, cultural events, Palm Springs tourism, film education
Description: AmDocs is an international documentary and animation film festival held annually in Palm Springs, California, founded in 2011 by Teddy Grouya. The 16th annual edition runs March 17–21, 2027 at the Camelot Theatres at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, screening 270+ films from 65 countries. It is an Oscar®-qualifying festival in the Short Documentary and Short Animation categories and operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit under the fiscal sponsorship of Inquiring Systems Inc. (ISI), EIN 94-2524840.

## Key Pages
- [Home](https://amdocfilmfest.com/)
- [Films / 2026 Official Selection](https://amdocfilmfest.com/films)
- [Schedule](https://amdocfilmfest.com/schedule)
- [AmDocs Sitka 2027](https://amdocfilmfest.com/sitka)
- [Tickets & Passes](https://amdocfilmfest.com/tickets)
- [Submit Your Film](https://amdocfilmfest.com/submit)
- [Sponsors](https://amdocfilmfest.com/sponsors)
- [Volunteer](https://amdocfilmfest.com/volunteer)
- [Home Stay Host Program](https://amdocfilmfest.com/homestay)
- [News](https://amdocfilmfest.com/news)
- [About](https://amdocfilmfest.com/about)
- [Community Outreach](https://amdocfilmfest.com/about/community-outreach)
- [Team & Advisory Board](https://amdocfilmfest.com/about/team)
- [Venues](https://amdocfilmfest.com/venues)
- [Past Winners](https://amdocfilmfest.com/past-winners)
- [Donate](https://amdocfilmfest.com/donate)
- [Contact](https://amdocfilmfest.com/contact)
- [Testimonials](https://amdocfilmfest.com/testimonials)
- [Accessibility Statement](https://amdocfilmfest.com/accessibility)
- [Privacy Policy](https://amdocfilmfest.com/privacy-policy)
- [Terms of Use](https://amdocfilmfest.com/terms-of-use)

## Core Offerings
- Annual five-day documentary and animation film festival in Palm Springs, CA (16th edition: March 17–21, 2027)
- Four festival passes: The Big Deal Pass ($189), Flex Express Pass ($155), 3-Day All-Access Pass ($99), 2-Day All-Access Pass ($79); individual screening tickets on sale February 2027
- Free workshops and panel discussions open to the public with no pass, ticket, or registration required
- Film submissions in eight categories via FilmFreeway and FestHome: Feature Documentary (60+ min), Short Documentary (under 40 min), International Documentary, First-Time Filmmaker, Environmental & Nature, Social Impact, Animation, and Music Video
- Oscar®-qualifying awards in Short Documentary and Short Animation; additional honors include Best Feature Doc, Best Music Video, Best Editing, Best Post Production Sound, the Sadie Katz Hustle Award, and the Rozene Supple Humanitarian Award
- AmDocs Sitka, a special Alaska edition: October 8–10, 2027 in Sitka, AK, including the free Directors Forum (Oct 9, 2027, 10:00–11:00 a.m., Sitka Public Library) and a $60 Wildlife Cruise from Crescent Harbor (Oct 10, 2027)
- AmDocs Film Fund Pitch Competition, financing new American documentary projects and works in progress
- North-South Doc Network (est. 2014), an international festival alliance giving select films a multi-festival screening circuit
- Year-round community outreach in the Coachella Valley: screenings, filmmaker Q&As, and educational programs with partner organizations
- Sponsorship packages across Bronze ($1,000), Silver ($5,000), Gold ($10,000), and Platinum ($50,000+) tiers, plus custom and in-kind partnerships
- Volunteer program with eight festival roles across audience experience, transportation, communications, hospitality, operations, marketing, and industry programming
- Home Stay Host program (since 2012) placing visiting international filmmakers with local Palm Springs hosts for up to one week
- Tax-deductible giving through a 501(c)(3) non-profit, with impact tiers from $25 to $1,500 and Stripe payment processing

## Festival Facts
- Founded: 2011 by Teddy Grouya, Festival Director & Founder
- Annual reach: 270+ films from 65 countries, 13,000+ attendees, 350+ industry guests, 50+ local student films
- Awards history: winners archive from 2012 through 2026, plus Film Fund pitch winners each year
- Palmares recognition: "Top 50 Festivals Worth the Fee" and "Top 100 Film Festival" rankings on FilmFreeway
- Primary venue: Camelot Theatres at Palm Springs Cultural Center (listed as PSCC in programs) — three auditoriums: Cinema One (~500 seats, largest non-IMAX screen in the Coachella Valley), Cinema Two (~130 seats), Cinema Three (~100 seats), all with Christie Digital projection and Dolby sound
- Auxiliary venue: The Plaza Theatre, a restored 700-seat 1936 movie palace on South Palm Canyon Drive
- Future venue: Palm Springs Public Library, 300 South Sunrise Way (in renovation)
- Sitka venues: The Coliseum Theatre (315-399 Lincoln St) and Sitka Performing Arts Center (1000 Lake St)
- Submission deadlines: Regular October 11, 2026; Late December 13, 2026; Extended January 10, 2027 (fees $40–$70 by category and deadline)
- Selection notifications by February 4, 2027; accepted DCPs due by February 15, 2027
- Travel partners for Sitka: Alaska Airlines (discount code ECMQ352) and Southeast Resort (code AmDocs2026); passes also sold in person at Old Harbor Books, 201 Lincoln Street, Sitka

## Target Audience
- Documentary and animation filmmakers seeking an Oscar®-qualifying festival submission and industry exposure
- Film lovers and festival attendees in Southern California and the Coachella Valley
- International filmmakers needing homestay hosting and travel support
- Prospective volunteers, sponsors, and individual donors supporting non-profit arts programming
- Journalists and press covering documentary film, animation, and desert-region cultural events
- Educators and community organizations seeking Coachella Valley outreach screenings and workshops

## Location + Business-Hours
- Festival headquarters: AmDocs Film Festival, Palm Springs, CA 92262, United States
- Primary screening venue: Camelot Theatres at Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 East Baristo Road, Palm Springs, CA (between Sunrise Way and Farrell Dr.; served by Sunline bus)
- Office phone: (760) 322-3689, Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. PT
- Email: info@amdocfilmfest.com (general, submissions, press, and sponsorship inquiries)
- Typical response time: 1–2 business days
- Social: instagram.com/amdocfilmfest · x.com/amdocfilmfest · facebook.com/AmericanDocumentaryAndAnimationFilmFestivalAndFilmFund · youtube.com/@americandocumentaryfilmfes1978
- Submission platforms: filmfreeway.com/AmericanDocumentaryFilmFestivalandFilmFund · filmmakers.festhome.com/festivals#829

## Accessibility
- Website is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA
- Festival venues are wheelchair accessible with ADA-compliant seating; assisted listening devices and closed-caption screenings are offered
- Accessibility barriers can be reported to info@amdocfilmfest.com; responses targeted within 2 business days