The online film academy, The Art of Documentary (AOD) was founded by Mark Bone and Michael Del Monte. AOD was founded to provide a course and a community that helps advance a more well-rounded filmmaker and gain access to professional opportunities.

Michael recently spoke with me this week to share more info about AOD and their inaugural Art of Documentary Film Festival taking place this Saturday, July 15th at Innis Town Hall in Toronto.

Featuring finalists’ films from the One Day Doc Contest (a 24-hour challenge to make a film by current students) alongside AOD Funded films, and films from past and present students, instructors, and the wider documentary community.

The One Day Doc Contest is a competition presented by The Art of Documentary, that is open to all current participating students. The challenge was to create a documentary film in 24 hours or less.

The AOD team screened and deliberated about all the submissions and selected seven films to premiere exclusively at the upcoming festival.

One of the seven selected films will be chosen as the winner, and will receive an AOD Film Distribution Deal including a film premiere on AOD Films YouTube Channel, festival submission and funding advice, promotional funding, and more. The One Day Doc Contest winner will be announced during the festival on July 15.

The festival will also feature Q&A sessions with award-winning filmmakers, Shasha Nakhai and Rich Williamson from Compy Films, (Scarborough, Take Light, Frame 394, Love Letters from Everest) discussing the changing landscape of documentary film, as well as with Oscar-winning short filmmaker Rayka Zehtabchi and her film, Period. End of Sentence, who will talk about the creative process behind their films.

For details about the AOD Film Festival and to purchase tickets, please click here.