2006 Margaret Mead Film and Video Festival at AMNH

The Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival-the longest-running documentary film festival in the United States, now celebrating its 30th year-will screen an outstanding selection of 32 titles culled from over 2,000 submissions, at the American Museum of Natural History, Wednesday, November 8, through Sunday, November 12, 2006. The Festival was founded in 1977 by the Museum in honor of pioneering anthropologist Margaret Mead's 75th birthday to mark her 50th year at the Museum.

Tackling diverse and challenging subjects representing a range of issues and perspectives, the Mead Festival in recent years introduced to New York audiences-and then to engagements around the country in a touring version-such renowned films as Spellbound (2002), Power Trip (2003), The Future of Food (2004), and the Oscar«-winning best animated short The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation (2005). The Festival has a distinguished history of "firsts," such as being the first venue to screen the now-classic Paris Is Burning (1990) about the urban transgender community and being one of the first U.S. festivals to feature "indigenous media production." The Festival continues to showcase today's best international documentaries and includes exclusive postscreening discussions with directors, producers, individuals featured in the films, and regional and topical experts.