The American Documentary and Animation Film Festival (AmDocs)
in Palm Springs, California
15th Annual, March 25-29, 2026
https://www.amdocfilmfest.com/
Palm Springs TV News interviewing Teddy at AmDocs.
Since 2013, I have had the good fortune to work as the Associate Producer of the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival – AmDocs – in Palm Springs, California. Teddy Grouya, creator and director of the festival, is a filmmaker, a visionary, and a contributive force in festival programming. Often as a juror, he is invited to film festivals all over the world. He knows what it takes to produce a successful film. And he has made AmDocs a well known festival both to audiences and filmmakers all over the world.
Showing movies about real people and issues, AmDocs has been consistently named one of the Top 100 Best Reviewed Film Festivals in the World by FilmFreeway. It ranks in the top 1% of more than 12,000 Film Festivals around the world.
AmDocs is Oscar-qualifying film festival for Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short. These prestigious film events offer a pathway for short films to reach Oscar nominations under special conditions. If a film wins a qualifying award at AmDocs, it becomes eligible for inclusion on the prestigious Oscars Long List.
Once a year I travel to Palm Springs to help as a moderator, a panelist, and filmmaker liaison. It is a very busy and rewarding five days. I’ve had the pleasure to meet and work with astonishing filmmakers, including Peter Bogdanovich, Haskell Wexler (one of the most influential cinematographers in movie history), Julie Cohen, Shia LaBeouf, Sean Penn and others. Working there with Teddy Grouya is also a big pleasure.
Peter Bogdanovich – I helped bring him to AmDocs. He was here twice and captivated a full house audience both times. Brilliant filmmaker and entertainer.
Shia La Beouf at AmDocs. We are talking about his road trip through the desert in a few hours after his film is presented.
Always a good time in Palm Springs with director, Bertrand Tessier, and producer, Myriam Brough. They make great films.
Programmer
After Teddy and I met, he invited me to join him as he traveled to film festivals in Europe. He wanted to train me as a programmer to attend festivals and bring back good films to our program. I had to support myself, but I agreed. We shared a most remarkable 3 weeks visiting various festivals in Poland, Kosovo, Croatia, and Slovenia. Then I stayed another month or so on my own attending festivals in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria. I learned so much and gained an education about Europe I never had before.
Teddy and John at the popular DOKUFEST festival in Kosovo. We have been invited many times.
Except for the Covid years, I have traveled to Europe every year since that initial visit to festivals with Teddy. Dokufest in Kosovo is one of my favorite destinations. I am a yearly Industry Guest at the Venice International Film Festival (Italy) and the San Sebastian International Film Festival (Donostia, Spain). I have regularly attended the Liburnia Film Festival in Croatia and the Curtocircuito short films Festival in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Lately I have included Bulgaria and Greece in my festival travels. I am still getting a wonderful education and meeting many incredible festival hosts and filmmakers.
With my friend and colleague, Bill Plympton, at the Mendocino Film Festival in Northern California.
With Abel Ferrara at Curtocircuto Short Film Festival, Santiago de Compostella, Spain
Visiting David Cronenberg at the Venice International Film Festival in Italy. He was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.