UNAFF features films that focus on human rights, environmental themes, population migration, women’s rights, refugees, homelessness, racism, health, universal education, war and peace. UNAFF has screened some of the most acclaimed documentaries, including six films that received Academy Awards and twenty-two that were nominated.
This year UNAFF jurors reviewed more than 600 submissions. Our final program includes 70 films. To complement the screenings, UNAFF partnered with more than 60 community organizations to form seven panels on topics such as the impact of social media, cyberbullying, threats to online privacy, the ethics of photography, unusual acts of compassion, the failing brain, nuclear trade-offs and alternative economic models.
As one of the oldest, strictly documentary film festivals in the US, UNAFF has earned the admiration of audiences and the respect of filmmakers. Many films introduced at our festival win major awards and accolades. UNAFF has created a community forum for discovery and dialogue about cultural diversity and innovative solutions to human problems.
Apart from organizing our annual October festival, we provide several year-round programs to engage a growing segment of our community. The “UNAFF Traveling Film Festival” has been shown in San Francisco, Berkeley, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Davis, Saratoga, Sonoma, Sebastopol, San Diego, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Honolulu, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington DC, New York, Burlington, Bellevue, Miami, La Crosse, Fryeburg, Houston, at Duke University, Yale, the University of Wisconsin, Harvard as well as in Paris, Venice, Belgrade, Phnom Penh and Abu Dhabi.
Through the “UNAFF and Kids” and “UNAFF in Schools” and the “UNAFF for Seniors” programs we have brought international documentaries to youth groups and seniors.
The “UNAFF Panels” program provides a platform for renowned authorities and experts to address challenging topics, while “UNAFF Café” maintains a steady supply of interesting films and offers a venue for informal discussion.
Last but not least, “UNAFF Archive” offers a plethora of research materials for students of film, culture, politics and international relations.
As part of the annual festival, UNAFF gives five awards: the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary, the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Documentary, the Youth Vision Award, the Stanford Video Award for Cinematography and the Stanford Video Award for Editing.
As an organization, UNAFF has twice won the WAVE Award for best promotional trailer, and was nominated for a CreaTVe Award. In 2010, MovieMaker Magazine listed UNAFF as one of the “Top 25 Festivals worth the Entry Fee.” Furthermore, UNAFF won the prestigious Earl W. Eames Award for innovatively combining new technologies with traditional media. In recognition of the 10th anniversary, UNAFF received the “Community Treasure Award” from Stanford University President John Hennessy for continuing to promote dialogue and education about different cultures. The Mayor of Palo Alto designated the festival days as UNAFF Week, applauding the work that UNAFF has done in the community for the last decade.
Most recently, UNAFF received the prestigious Academy Foundation Grant for the “UNAFF and Kids” program, which is hosting its fifth presentation this year.
UNAFF is an independent project of the UNA-USA, a nonprofit organization. By making a tax-deductible donation to UNAFF you will offer the opportunity for tens of thousands of people to view these important films, works that bring us together as a diverse community. Please send your gift (check payable to UNAFF) to:
UNAFF
P.O. Box 19369
Stanford, CA 94309
Or you can donate online via PayPal (send to info@unaff.org)
We hope that the variety of film programs and other related events during UNAFF 2013 will present you with a truly exciting and memorable experience.
Warmest regards,
Jasmina Bojic
Founder and Executive Director
UNAFF and UNAFF Traveling Film Festivals
