The goal of the showcase is to offer a broad look at American values

The American Documentary Showcase is a curated program of contemporary documentaries that is offered to U.S. embassies for screening abroad. Funded in part by an ECA grant to the University Film and Video Association (UFVA), and administered in partnership with the International Documentary Association (IDA), the Showcase is designed to promote American documentaries and their filmmakers at international overseas venues, including U.S. embassy-organized events and/or U.S. embassy-supported international documentary film festivals.

The Showcase debuted in the Czech Republic and Poland in April 2009 and will travel to nearly 30 countries around the world this year, including Iraq, Ecuador, Kenya and Vietnam. UFVA and IDA have curated a thematic showcase of 25-30 award-winning American documentaries, including 2008 Academy Award® nominees “The Betrayal” and “The Garden,” to reflect the best in contemporary American documentary filmmaking. The documentaries offer a broad, diversified look at American life and the values of a democratic society. As part of the program, American filmmakers and film specialists are traveling abroad to introduce screenings of Showcase films and to conduct workshops and other outreach at documentary festivals, U.S. embassy-organized programs, and other events.

Read more about the featured films...