Company Profile

Company Description:

American Documentary (AmDoc), a national nonprofit media arts organization, strives to make essential documentaries accessible as a catalyst for public discourse. We collaborate with passionate and diverse storytellers to amplify their voices and to nurture the nonfiction community.

Founded in 1987, AmDoc has presented more than 650 independent nonfiction and interactive films and supported over 500 filmmakers around the world through our flagship series POV. Broadcast nationally on PBS, one of the most respected and trusted media brands, POV films reach approximately 98% of U.S. households. For over three decades, POV has served as a curator of artful, thought-provoking documentaries that inspire a sense of connection and hope in shared humanity. 

POV Engage uses series films to support educators and change makers who use documentaries to initiate bold conversation and connection in local communities. POV Shorts, launched in 2018, is one of the first public media series dedicated to independent short-form documentaries. POV Spark is the organization’s interactive arm, dedicated to interactive nonfiction storytelling and storytellers. AmDoc also co-produces America ReFramed, a documentary series which immerses audiences in diverse and personal stories that span the spectrum of American life. 

AmDoc has provided a showcase for the early efforts of Jonathan Demme, Lourdes Portillo, Errol Morris, Michèle Stephenson, Marlon Riggs, and Laura Poitras, and premiered films by filmmakers including Bing Liu, Marshall Curry and Nanfu Wang.