AFI DOCS has announced its 2019 slate. The festival will host 72 films from 17 countries, 48 percent of which are directed by women, according to a press release.
This year’s Centerpiece Screening is “American Factory.” Directed by Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar, the Sundance winner explores what happens when a Chinese company takes over a shuttered GM plant in Dayton, Ohio.
SXSW Audience Award winner “Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins” will be the Closing Night Screening. Janice Engel’s doc is a portrait of Ivins, a late author, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, and TV pundit.
Freida Lee Mock’s “Ruth – Justice Ginsburg In Her Own Words” is locked in as a Special Screening. According to the feature’s synopsis, it “covers the full breadth of Ginsburg’s life, views, and career.”
“Each year, the AFI DOCS slate includes a variety of films exploring topical issues, intriguing personalities, and compelling voices,” said Michael Lumpkin, Director, AFI Festivals. “This year’s festival offers audiences a chance to discover new perspectives on familiar topics and unique stories they may be hearing for the first time — demonstrating the power of documentary film to connect and inspire across a diverse range of subjects. We are happy to announce that 48 percent of this year’s slate is directed by women, with 68 percent produced by women.”
AFI Docs will take place from June 19-23 in Washington, D.C., and Silver Spring, Maryland. You can find more information about the lineup and tickets over at the fest’s website.
