Flyout Menu
Main Menu

/About

June 2025 marks the third edition of a major international film festival in the nation’s capital.

↓

Founded in 2023 to celebrate the power and potential of documentary film, DC/DOX is a premier festival dedicated to bold storytelling, visionary filmmakers, and timely conversations. Held in the heart of the nation’s capital, DC/DOX is more than a festival—it’s a dynamic gathering where filmmakers, industry leaders, journalists, and engaged audiences come together to explore and champion the cutting edge of non-fiction cinema.

Over four days, DC/DOX takes place in marquee venues across Washington, DC, presenting an exceptional lineup of 100+ feature and short documentaries from around the world. Every screening is a Washington, DC premiere and is followed by filmmaker Q&As and thought-provoking post-screening discussions.

The Reality Check Forum—a series of panels, masterclasses, and workshops—dives into the evolving landscape of documentary filmmaking, providing a space for discovery, dialogue, and innovation for filmmakers to advance their craft. 

 

Join us for the third edition of DC/DOX, June 12–15, 2025, as we celebrate the art of non-fiction storytelling and its power to inform, challenge, and inspire.

/Founders

DC/DOX is co-founded by industry veterans Sky Sitney and Jamie Shor, who bring decades of experience in festival creation and programming, documentary distribution, press and marketing.

Sky Sitney

CO-FOUNDER, FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

Sky Sitney is the co-founder and festival director of DC/DOX. She is the former festival director of AFI Docs (previously known as Silverdocs), and is recognized as one of the key contributors in helping it become one of the leading documentary festivals in the United States. She worked for the festival from 2005 until 2014. After leaving AFI Docs, Sky co-created and co-directed Double Exposure, a festival and symposium which explores the intersection of film and investigative journalism.

Sky also served as director of the Film and Media Studies program at Georgetown University from 2017 – 2023, where she currently serves as Professor of the Practice and teaches a variety of courses in cinema studies. And she has held previous programming positions for the Newport International Film Festival, the New York Underground Film Festival, and Anthology Film Archives. She has held industry positions at C-Hundred Film Corp. and Fine Line Features.

Sky has held numerous consultancy positions for a variety of film and media organizations, including the MacArthur Foundation, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Chicken & Egg Pictures, the National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture (NAMAC), and the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital. Sky regularly serves on festival juries, panels, and award review committees, including Cinema Eye Honors, the Gotham Awards, the IDA Awards, the POV editorial committee, and she serves as a Chair for the Peabody nominating committee for Best Documentary.

Jamie Shor

CO-FOUNDER

Jamie is president of PR Collaborative, a leading public relations and strategic communications firm in Washington, DC. It is the agency of record in DC for major film festivals, Bleecker Street, Magnolia Pictures, Roadside Attractions, Screen Gems (a division of Sony) and an ongoing partner for SE Theaters, Hulu, and Netflix.

With a rich background in public policy and journalism, Jamie creates communication plans that put her clients in the national spotlight—and keeps them there. Whether it’s managing a crisis, devising long-term strategies, or assembling top-notch teams to execute campaigns, Jamie’s boundless enthusiasm and insider’s perspective add clarity and credence to any project.

Jamie also has a long career in the arts outside of her work with PR Collaborative. She is the co-founder of the Impact Arts and Film Fund, which produced the Impact Film Festival at the 2008 and 2012 Democratic and Republican Conventions as well as the 2016 Democratic National Convention. The festival was featured multiple times in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, National Journal, The Hill, Roll Call and many other publications.

/Team

Vane Amezcua

Volunteer Coordinator

Vane Amezcua is an upcoming Georgetown University graduate pursuing a major in Environmental Biology and a minor in Film and Media Studies. Vane’s dedication as an Indigenous Latina and first-generation student shapes her aspirations to become an environmentalist, tech expert, storyteller, and community builder. Born and raised in East Los Angeles, she is passionate about creating meaningful change in areas and narratives centered on environmentalism and social justice. Currently, Vane is wrapping up her student film, Alchemy, which explores friendship dynamics. As she continues the rigorous path of STEM and the film industry, she enjoys photography, discovering new cuisines, watching films, and taking long walks or runs along the beach in her free time.

Cecilia Cassidy

Festival Coordinator

Cecilia Cassidy was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and is currently finishing her final year as an undergraduate at Georgetown University. While she entered Georgetown as a physics major (and will always have an interest in the universe as we know it), Cecilia has developed a greater interest in the stories of the people and places that exist here on Earth. Her aim is to educate and create meaningful art with the work she does, whether as a member of the DC/DOX team or once she receives her English and Film & Media Studies degrees. When she gets a free afternoon, she loves to get a big cup of tea, go on long walks, and listen to music.

Wilma L. Davis

Festival Manager

Wilma is a film producer and project manager with a passion for inspirational and impactful storytelling.  With over two decades of experience in dramatic and documentary film, she recently worked at the esteemed HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, a mission-driven company dedicated to science storytelling.  There, she oversaw a slate of scripted film and television projects as producer of dramatic films.  She also served as executive producer of the award-winning documentary, “The Calling: A Medical School Journey,” which aired on PBS in March 2025.  Wilma’s filmmaking journey began in Los Angeles working with top Hollywood directors.  Following that rewarding stint in commercial entertainment, she moved back to the east coast and transferred her skills and love of filmmaking to philanthropic efforts focused on telling stories that enlighten and inspire.  She holds a master’s in film and a bachelor’s in communications.  Wilma has also held previous film festivals positions, including as Conference Manager at AFI Silverdocs.  She’s thrilled to bring together her experience in storytelling and festival management to make the third edition of DC/DOX a huge success.

Salomón Flamenco

Volunteer Manager

Salomón Flamenco is a recent graduate of Georgetown’s Graduate School of Arts and Science and an alum of Reed College, Class of 2021. A lifelong believer in the power of Storytelling and Cinema, he has demonstrated this through his work and research, from producing his podcast Minority Report to helping produce POC-led work, including Dear Diablo and Dearborn. In the future, he is looking at the intersection of Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law and programming to help uplift underrepresented and marginalized voices, stories, and perspectives. IG: @salmonflamingos // fsf9@georgetown.edu

Deniz Gezgin

Web Developer

Deniz, co-founder of Pinpon Digital, is a seasoned web developer with over a decade of architectural design experience. Transitioning from designing physical spaces to digital ones, he brings a unique perspective to web development, blending aesthetics, functionality, and user experience. As a self-taught developer, Deniz has freelanced with various designers, agencies, and clients, creating diverse projects including portfolios, corporate, and e-commerce websites. His architectural background enhances his attention to detail and creativity, enabling him to craft visually appealing, intuitive web experiences. Passionate about continuous learning, Deniz stays updated with the latest web design and development trends.

Ariana Hameed

Forum Coordinator

Ariana Hameed is an undergraduate junior at Georgetown University, double majoring in American Studies and Computer Science, Ethics, and Society. Growing up in a multicultural, multireligious home, she has never felt comfortable in just one box, paving the way for her interdisciplinary academic journey. She first discovered her interest in documentary filmmaking working on a documentary following descendants of enslaved people owned and subsequently sold by Georgetown Jesuits, and since then has nurtured her passion for documentary as a unique tool for putting power in the hands of the marginalized. Hailing from Northern Virginia, she hopes to use her interests in tech, politics, and storytelling to fight for underserved communities, especially in the areas of over policing and surveillance. Outside of DC/DOX, she is involved in labor organizing on campus, arts publications, and the Georgetown radio!

Elyse van Houten

Festival Coordinator

Elyse van Houten is a sophomore at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business (Class of 2027), majoring in Finance with minors in Film & Media Studies and Psychology. Their experiences as a transgender person of color have deeply influenced their involvement on campus, where they serve as Assistant Manager of Operations at *The Georgetown Voice*, Newsletter Lead for the Georgetown Entertainment and Media Alliance (GEMA), and a member of Sketch Comedy. Passionate about the intersection of film, business, and technical creativity, Elyse aspires to pursue a career in media production. They are excited to support DC/DOX in its third year and contribute to its mission of showcasing impactful storytelling.

Sophia Lu

Development Coordinator

Sophia Lu is an undergraduate junior in Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service studying Science, Technology, and International Affairs (STIA) with minors in Philosophy and Film & Media Studies. She is an investigative filmmaker and journalist, whose work spotlights polarization in its various forms around the world—democratic backsliding, educational access, urban-rural gaps, etc.—through a slice of life approach. Informed by her experiences working in local government, Sophia believes strongly in the power of storytelling to illuminate the individual and collective circumstances that communities face, and to spark critical reflections that help facilitate greater understanding. Hailing from the Bay Area, Sophia is also passionate about using emerging technologies to shape the future of creative work, which she has spent the past several years researching, including now as the focus of her senior thesis. In her free time, Sophia enjoys experimenting with digital photography, exploring local food scenes, and playing the piano with friends.

Isabella Martinez-Aleman

Forum Manager

Isabella is a seasoned event producer dedicated to nurturing informed, artistic communities. In 2024, she founded Querida Parchita Studio (Q.P.S.) to support creative teams with remote project management and in-person event facilitation. Her varied background includes party planning, film production, kitchen management, HR development, and more. She is happy to bring this expertise to this year’s festival as the Reality Check Forum Manager.

Isabella made a home in Washington, DC while studying Gender, Media, and Power at Georgetown University and always jumps at the opportunity to travel back, especially when it means contributing to a community effort like DC/DOX. She is a huge fan of ethnographic and experimental film.

Isabella currently resides in Los Angeles, where she’s basking in the sunlight after a year spent in a law library. She uses her newly acquired Master’s of Law & Technology from UCLA School of Law to educate musicians about intellectual property law, contract law, and negotiation techniques.

Isabella is a fierce advocate for people power and a proud patron of the arts. She envisions a career in program design & delivery within the creative industries and as a community organizer in her hometown of Miami, FL.

Meredith Monnich

Festival Coordinator

Meredith Monnich is a Sophomore at Georgetown University, majoring in American Studies with minors in Film & Media Studies and Spanish. As an avid reader and film enthusiast, she is drawn to storytelling in all its forms—especially through the lens of documentary film. Meredith has collaborated on multiple documentary projects, both in high school and at Georgetown, always striving to advocate for social justice in creative ways. Her coursework in American Studies encourages her to explore the past with curiosity and a critical eye, always searching for deeper truths. She brings this same mindset to filmmaking, striving to uncover the heart of a story by looking beyond what meets the eye. Outside of DC/DOX, Meredith can be found curating playlists for the Georgetown Radio, sailing on the Potomac with the GU Varsity Sailing Team, or spending time outdoors with family and friends.

Sam Plakun

Guest Relations Manager

Sam Plakun has over a decade of experience in the documentary film space, working primarily in programming, festival management, marketing and outreach. For seven years, Sam served as the Program Manager for The DC Environmental Film Festival, and has held positions with New Day Films, the Brooklyn Film Festival, DC/DOX Film Festival and the DC Shorts Film Festival. Her industry experience has earned her a spot on award juries for numerous festivals, including the Bozcaada International Festival of Documentary, Indie Street Film Festival and the Green Film Network.

Born and raised in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, Sam earned a degree in Media Arts for Social Justice from Pitzer College, a member of the Claremont Consortium in Southern California. Now a proud resident of Washington, D.C., Sam shares her love of film with her husband and two cats.

Olivia Pozen

Festival Coordinator

Olivia Pozen is an undergraduate junior at Georgetown University, majoring in American studies and minoring in sociology. She hails from Newton, Massachusetts, which she insists is only 10 minutes outside of Boston. There, she developed an interest in planning equitable and sustainable urban environments. This perspective now informs her both her coursework and commitment to community organizing. Olivia previously served as the Director of Programming for the Georgetown University Film Festival (GUFF), which sought to showcase the art of short-form and student filmmaking. She is excited to continue this work on the professional level and use her position to spotlight the stories of diverse and underserved communities. Outside of DC/DOX, Olivia can be found managing WGTB Georgetown Radio, critiquing the DC restaurant scene, and writing satire articles in her journal.

Sarah Riedmann

Catalog Designer

Sarah’s journey as a designer is as adventurous as her travels. Before settling in L.A. and earning her B.A. in Art with a minor in Film and Television from UCLA, she was designing publications for theaters and galleries in Austria. She brought this visual sensitivity to Hollywood, working both on set as a production designer and behind the scenes as an art director. After a stint at an LA-based marketing agency, managing international projects, she set off on a multi-year overland journey across the Pan-American, before returning back to California with her family. At DC/DOX, she’s excited to blend her graphic design expertise with her love for documentary filmmaking, bringing this year’s catalog to life.

Claire Seaton

Theater Operations Manager

Claire Seaton is a freelance video editor in the Washington, DC area with a passion for educational, nonprofit, and documentary video. In 2023, Claire served as a Venue Captain for DC/DOX, and is thrilled to continue working with the festival this summer! A graduate of the College of William & Mary, Claire has created videos with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, PBS Digital Studios, Bright Trip, Project Belong, International Justice Mission, Whole Word Institute, and more. Claire is a member of Video Consortium, Alliance of Documentary Editors, and Arlington Independent Media.

Marga Varea

Audience Engagement Producer

Marga is the founder and director of Twin Seas Media, a boutique agency dedicated to creative distribution for independent documentary films. She has over two decades of experience as a consulting producer and distribution strategist. Originally from Spain, she began her career in narrative film and national television before transitioning to the non-fiction world. Marga has worked with dozens of films, including Academy Awards shortlisted documentary “Until He’s Back”. Marga also consults for film festivals on audience engagement and programming. She holds a Master’s in Journalism and Media Studies.

Erdem Yucel

Creative Director

As a creative based in Los Angeles with over 25 years of experience specializing in visual communication for the entertainment industry, Erdem has designed key visuals for more than 500 titles, including major Hollywood films and series. At DC/DOX, he brings his expertise in branding, graphics, and motion graphics to the forefront, with a special interest in independent film collaborations. Erdem earned his MFA in Graphic Design, exploring biomimicry, psychology, and performance art; and continues to search for amazement within the dark arts of visual design every day.

PR Collaborative

DC/DOX Public Relations Partner