PAST WINNERS
See some of our past winners (this is not the full list going back due to space) at the American Documentary and Animation (AmDocs) Film Festival in Palm Springs include a variety of filmmakers from diverse backgrounds. From first-time filmmakers to seasoned veterans of the industry, those selected for yearly AmDocs honors have been deserving.
2023
Best Documentary Short -Flightpath, USA, David Grabias
Best International Feature - Motu Haka, FRANCE, Raynald Mérienne
Best International Short - Carpenter, IRAN, Xelîl Sehragerd
Best Animated Short - Pete, USA, Bret Parker
Best Animation Feature Award - Slide, USA, Bill Plympton
Film Fund Winners: Riley Hooper, Lynne Siefert
2022
Best American Feature - Powerlands, USA, Ivey-Camille Manybeads Tso
Best American Short - Inside The Beauty Bubble, USA, C. Bookout, C. Gaulke
Best International Feature - Ballet In Tandem, TAIWAN, Wei-Hsin YANG
Best Documentary Short - Ayoungman, CANADA, Larry Day
Best Animation Short Award - 7lbs., 8oz, USA, Yoo Lee
Film Fund Finalists: As part of Jihlava International co-awards
2021
Best International Short: "The Siege", RUSSIA, by Andrey Furmanchuk
Best International Short: "The Siege", RUSSIA, by Andrey Furmanchuk
Best International Short Jury Award: "Charlie Surfer", NORWAY, by Pia Strømme
Best National Short: "Meltdown In Dixie", USA, Emily Harrold
Best National Short Jury Award: "The FBI's Secret War", USA, by David Reppond
Best International Feature: "The Neurosurgeon", POLAND, by Magdalena Zagała AND "Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony", FRANCE, by Clara & Julia Kuperberg
Best Domestic Feature: "White Noise", USA, by Daniel Lombraso
Best Domestic Feature Jury Award: "My Name Is Lopez", USA, P. David Ebersole, Todd Hughes
Best Animated Short: "Reign Of The Umbrella Man", USA, by Eric Fisher AND "To The Dusty Sea", FRANCE, by Héloïse Ferlay
Best Animated Work Jury Award: "Oxygen", BELGIUM, by Rocky Grispen, Violette Belzer AND "The Credits Movie", USA, Jeffrey Askin
Film Fund Pitch Winners "Only In Theatres" by Raphael Sbarge AND "Exodus Stories" by Ilse Fernandez AND "El Oaxaqueño" by David Zlutnick.
2020 - No formal winners due to Covid Restrictions
2019
Best American Feature - KIFARU
Best American Short - NOBLE SISSLE'S SYNCOPATED RAGTIME
Best International Feature - DEFEND, CONSERVE, PROTECT
Best International Short - CRICKET LIU
International Jury Award - LINE
Best Animation Short Award - GIRL IN THE HALLWAY
Audience Favorite Short - SPACE TO EXPLORE
Film Fund Pitch Winners
Finding YingYing / Take One Shot / This Is National Wake
Special Awards
Seeing the Bigger Picture Award - Julie Cohen
Rozene Supple Humanitarian Award - Sacheen Littlefeather
Sadie Katz Award for Hustle - M. Douglas Silverstein, The Weight of Success
2018
Best American Feature - CHURCH & STATE
Best American Short - LOTTE THAT SILHOUETTE GIRL
U.S. Special Jury Award (Short) - THE GIRL AND THE PICTURE
International Special Jury Award (Short) - THEA
International Special Jury Award (Feature) - TO VALHALLA
U.S. Feature - MANRY AT SEA
International Feature - MY LIFE WITHOUT AIR
International Short - BLACK MAMBAS
Audience Favorite Short - ON MY WAY OUT: The Secret Life Of Nani And Popi
Best Animated Short - The Likes and Dislikes of Marj Bagley
Audience Favorite Feature - THE PUSH
Film Fund Pitch Winners
Lights, Camera, Uganda / Hurdle / Represent
Special Awards
Seeing The Bigger Picture Award - LaBeouf, Rönkkö & Turner
Rozene Supple Humanitarian Award - George Takei
Sadie Katz Award for Hustle - Greg Thompson, Becoming Marilyn
2017
Film Fund Pitch Winners
Roar of the Lion Cub / Refusing to Ghost / Manry at Sea / The Judge
2016
Film Fund Pitch Winners
United Skates / The Penny Black / Becoming April March
2015
Film Fund Pitch Winners
The Surrounding Game / The Most Fearless / Encounter
2013
Audience Favorite - Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago
Audience Favorite - Do You Know What My Name Is?
Audience Favorite - Dance For Me
Film Fund Pitch Winners
Power of Pearl / The Spark / Beerato - The Land of Woman
2012
Audience Favorite - I Stand Corrected
Film Fund Pitch Winners
American Bear / Dead Man Rockin' / The Trials of Muhammad Ali
