Who We Are

Documentary storytelling is flourishing like never before. DOC NYC is at the center of celebrating and supporting this cultural movement.

Mission Statement

Curate

Guide audiences, industry, and press toward inspiring work, including discovering new talent and highlighting the year’s top films.

Support Filmmakers

Connect filmmakers with audiences and provide creators with educational, networking and promotional opportunities throughout the year.

Cultivate New Audiences

Attract local, national and international newcomers with the excitement of a festival atmosphere.

Create Community

Bring audiences and filmmakers together to engage with documentary – both online and in person.

Make the Most of NYC

Reflect NYC’s status as a global documentary center, expose visitors to the opportunities that happen “only in New York,” and make New York’s documentary expertise more accessible to national and international audiences.

Celebrate Diversity

Share compelling stories from artists of all backgrounds and embrace creative guests, industry decision-makers, and audiences from all cultures, ages, abilities and identities.

“This cinematic bonanza covers everything new and noteworthy in the world of documentary filmmaking.”

– The Huffington Post

Previous Festival Highlights

Highlights

For the last nine years, DOC NYC has screened the documentary feature that went on to win the Academy Award and 24 of the last 25 Oscar-nominated documentary features.

DOC NYC is also an Academy-qualifying festival for short films.  DOC NYC’s winning short will qualify for consideration in the Documentary Short Subject category of the Annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.

In 2021, DOC NYC celebrates its 12th edition and will take place in a hybrid format (online and in-person), pending fall health regulations.  In past years, DOC NYC took place at the IFC Center, SVA Theater and Cinépolis Chelsea, with hundreds of special guests in person. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 festival was held entirely online with audience members tuning in from all 50 states. Past guests include Hillary Clinton, Eric Clapton, Emma Watson, Jim Carrey, Rev. Al Sharpton, Thandie Newton, Susan Sarandon, Martin Scorsese, Itzhak Perlman, Frank Oz, Big Bird, Sarah Polley, Jared Leto, Olympia Dukakis, Chris Rock, Seth Myers, Alia Shawkat, Lucas Hedges, Kevin Kline, Heather Graham, Jean Claude Christo, Wim Wenders, Rashida Jones, Darrel Hammond, Ricki Lake, Michael Moore, Michel Gondry, Omar Epps, Errol Morris, Oliver Stone, Jonathan Franzen, Kathleen Hanna, Spandau Ballet, Greil Marcus, Grace Lee Boggs, Bela Fleck, Nat Hentoff, Chuck Workman, Guy Fieri and The Mekons. Audience attendees have included Harry Belafonte, Rosario Dawson, Fred Armisen, Jim Jarmusch, J.K. Simons, Michael Stipe, Martha Stewart, Katie Couric, Russell Simmons, Darren Aronofsky, Cornel West, Naomi Watts, among others.