Arkansas Times writes:

With such commercially successful films this summer as “Fahrenheit 9/11″ and “The Hunting of the President,” the documentary has taken on a new importance to the average moviegoer. That a documentary can be riveting, revealing and successful isn’t news, though, to the folks at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute.

The institute opens its 14th Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival Friday, Oct. 22, blending assorted subjects — including several new documentaries with a statewide interest as well as international and Academy Award winners and nominees — for 10 days at the Malco Theater, the HSDFI’s home. The festival will attract not only movie fans, but the makers of the top documentaries from around the world. France, Poland and Belarus are among the countries with films chosen this year.

William Greaves will receive the International Documentary Association’s (IDA) 2004 Career Achievement Award. He will be feted during the 20th Annual IDA Distinguished Documentary Achievement Awards Gala here at 6:30 p.m. on December 10 at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Theater.

“I decided to step behind the camera to try to counter all the B.S. that the media was selling to the American people and disseminating throughout the world,” says Greaves. “My goal was to use the medium of film to tell the truth about our history and that of Africa.”

Creative Mac has more.

Amy King over at Silverdocs: AFI / Discovery Channel Documentary Festival writes that she is looking for entries into their June 14 — 19th, 2005 documentary film and video festival. The festival showcases over 75 of the best new documentaries from around the world that includes a 3-day international conference where filmmakers and producers will be able to pitch to “dozens of buyers and program executives.” The festival and conference takes place in Washington, D.C. Entry deadline for early entries is Januarary 28th, while the late deadline is March 4th. For more information, please visit Silverdocs.com.

Sin Embargo won Best Issues of the Environment at the Vermont International Film Festival, the oldest film festival to feature environment and human rights issues. Sol De Noche: A Gleam In The Darkness was also selected as a feature film for the festival.