Once upon a time, I worked as a theater manager at AFI Fest, and it was maybe the hardest 10 days of work I’ve ever done. Yet, I have a very soft spot for the fest. The films are strong, the social events are top notch including a great view of LA from their parking-garage-rooftop-turned-tent-palace, and while some of the folks who sauntered down the red carpet were a bit snooty, the majority of staff, volunteers and cineastes were a pleasure to share company with. The doc competition films are as follows:

Agile, Mobile, Hostile by Tricia Todd and Eric Matthies

Alone in Four Walls by Alexandra Westmeier

Gogol Bordello Non-Stop by Margarita Jimeno

Hi My Name is Ryan by Paul Eagleston and Stephen Rose

Imaginadores by Daniela Fiore

Kassim The Dream by Kief Davidson

The Last Days of Shishmaref by Jan Louter

Of All The Things by Jody Lambert

Pindorama: The True Story of the Seven Dwarves by Roberto Berliner, Lula Queiroga and Leo Crivellare

Playing Columbine by Danny Ledonne

Prodigal Sons by Kimberly Reed

Shakespeare and Victor Hugo’s Intimacies by Yulene Olaizola

Until the Light Takes Us by Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell

Witch Hunt by Don Hardy and Dana Nachman

I’ve seen a some or all of few of the selections that I’d definitely recommend: Agile, Mobile, Hostile, Jody Lambert’s Of All The Things, Hi My Name Is Ryan, Gogol Bordello Non-Stop, and Kim Reed’s Prodigal Sons. Where I saw works-in-progress, the stories and material were looking good.