afi docs festival
Major legitimate festival with strong credentials
AFI Docs was the nation's premier documentary film festival, showcasing contemporary nonfiction films from around the world that catalyzed national conversations on bold subject matter and social justice. Held annually in Silver Spring, Maryland and Washington, D.C. from 2003 to 2022, it was notable for connecting audiences, filmmakers, and policy leaders in the heart of the U.S. government before merging into AFI Fest in Los Angeles in 2022.
Last updated Jul 16, 2026
Legitimacy Analysis
Positive Indicators (+43 pts)
- BAFTA Recognized
- 23 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at AFI Silver Theatre
- Verified trusted status
Red Flags (-0 pts)
No red flags found
Festival Details
Founded
2003
Venue
AFI Silver Theatre
Screenings
Physical screenings confirmed
Award Categories
1
Related Festivals in United States
Research
Live web research is off to control API cost. This shows cached scheduled research when available, plus analysis from our database.
Hard research (cheap model + thorough prompt) runs on a cron for suspicious festivals; a biweekly job refreshes others. No live API calls from the site.
Quick Stats
How scoring works
Scores are calculated from structural indicators: accreditations, physical screenings, award category count, submission frequency, and acceptance rate. Higher scores reflect more verifiable legitimacy signals.
Filmmaker reviews
No community reviews yet. If you submitted here, your experience helps others avoid award mills.
Report a problem with this festivalGet Alerts
Get notified when afi docs festival's tier changes or new reports are filed.