Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

What Full Frame Documentary Film Festival does

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 in Durham, North Carolina, operating as a program of Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies. The organization hosts an annual four-day international documentary film festival each spring, featuring more than 60 films alongside panel discussions and filmmaker interactions at the Carolina Theatre, Durham Convention Center, and Durham Armory. The festival holds qualifying status for the Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject and the Producers Guild of America Awards, and its 28th edition was held April 16-19, 2026.

The organization's core products span the annual festival, year-round free screenings through the Full Frame Road Show at Triangle-region venues (Durham County Public Library, The Cary Theater, Durham Central Park, Carolina Theatre), educational programs including the Fellows Program (5- and 8-pass packages for colleges and universities) and Teach the Teachers (documentary literacy for Durham Public Schools educators), the 1998 Society annual membership program, and the Community Partner Program for local businesses. It also maintains a searchable online film archive documenting every selection since 1998. No proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or app platforms underpin the business; operations rely on physical venues, human curation, and institutional partnerships.

Full Frame generates revenue through five diversified streams: corporate sponsorships at tiered levels from $1,000 to $50,000+ (with Durham Convention Center at the top and Duke University as Presenting Sponsor), festival passes and individual ticket sales, individual donations (1998 Society at $1,998-$10,000+ annually, Full House Campaign at $60 per seat), planned giving and matching gifts coordinated through Duke University's gift planning office, and Fellows Program fees for educational institutions. The 2026 festival awarded $50,000 across ten prizes, and the 2018 festival generated over $2.1 million in local economic impact for Durham.

Name

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

Legal name

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

Website

https://fullframefest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is a nonprofit founded in 1998 in Durham, NC, hosting an annual four-day international documentary film festival plus year-round screenings, educational programs, and archival resources as a program of Duke University.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Documentary Film Festival

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers) (MPADAKAH), Campus & Educational Screenings (Universities, Schools) (MPADAKAI), Feature-Length Documentaries (MPADADAA)

Keywords

• Documentary film festival
• Nonfiction cinema exhibition
• Film screening events
• Documentary education programs
• Film festival programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide financial support at various tier levels including Presenting, Leadership, Supporting, Benefactor, Contributor, Partner, and Sustainer levels ranging from $1,000 to $50,000+.
2. Festival Passes and Tickets: Revenue from selling festival passes and individual tickets to screenings and events.
3. Individual Donations: Individual donor contributions at various levels including the $1,998+ 1998 Society membership, annual gifts, and the Full House Campaign seat-naming initiative.
4. Planned Giving and Matching Gifts: Planned gifts and matching gift programs through Duke University's gift planning office to ensure long-term sustainability.
5. Fellows Program Fees: Educational program revenue from colleges and universities purchasing Fellow Pass packages at $1,000-$1,500 per package.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is a nonprofit organization that hosts an annual international four-day documentary film festival in Durham, North Carolina, featuring over 60 documentary films, panel discussions, and filmmaker interactions. The festival, a program of Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies, extends its mission through year-round programming including the Full Frame Road Show, educational programs such as the Fellows Program and Teach the Teachers, and an extensive online Films Archive of all past selections dating to 1998.

Product overview

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is a program of Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies offering an annual international documentary film festival (April 16-19) featuring over 60 films, panel discussions, and filmmaker interactions. The organization provides year-round documentary programming through the Full Frame Road Show, educational initiatives including the Full Frame Fellows Program and Teach the Teachers program, membership through the 1998 Society, and maintains an extensive online Films Archive of all past festival selections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Frame Documentary Film Festival (Annual Festival) An annual international documentary film festival held in Durham, NC, featuring over 60 documentary films, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and filmmaker interactions over a four-day spring event. Serves documentary filmmakers seeking exhibition and recognition, and film enthusiasts attending screenings. The festival is a qualifying event for the Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject category.
• Full Frame Road Show

Quantifiable outcome

• Three Full Frame alumni received 2026 Peabody Awards recognition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Duke UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Duke University is the Presenting Sponsor of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Full Frame is a program of Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies, providing the organizational foundation and institutional support for the festival.
• NetflixminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Festival Partner level sponsor at $5,000+, supporting the annual festival.
• PBS North CarolinaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Festival Partner level sponsor and media partner for documentary programming.
• Durham Convention CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026Leadership level sponsor ($50,000+) providing Cinema 3 and Cinema 4 festival venues.
• Center for Documentary Studies (Duke University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDS is the parent organization of Full Frame. The center considers all films in competition for its Filmmaker Award and awards its annual prize to an outstanding film.
• Durham County Public LibrarycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYear-round Road Show partner hosting free documentary screenings at library venues for the Durham community.
• The Cary TheatercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYear-round Road Show partner hosting free documentary screenings for the Cary and broader Triangle community.
• The Carolina Theatre of DurhamminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFestival venue partner and year-round screening partner for documentary programming.
• Durham Central ParkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOutdoor screening venue partner for Road Show events in downtown Durham.
• American Tobacco Historic District/Capitol Broadcasting CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner venue for year-round documentary programming in the American Tobacco Historic District.
• IFC CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational partner venue for year-round documentary programming and festival alumni screenings.
• Walker Art CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational partner venue for year-round documentary programming and festival alumni screenings.
• Nasher Museum of Art at Duke UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniversity partner venue for documentary programming in collaboration with Duke University.
• National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry partner for supporting Latino independent filmmakers and documentary programming.
• Rooftop FilmsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization for outdoor and alternative venue documentary screenings.
• UNC School SystemminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniversity system partner for documentary programming and educational outreach.
• Des Moines Art CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational partner venue for documentary programming extending festival reach beyond North Carolina.
• International Affairs Council of North CarolinaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization for international documentary programming and cross-cultural film initiatives.
• Colleges and Universities (Fellows Program)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducational institutions partner with Full Frame through the Fellows Program, bringing students to the festival. Programs include D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus, Ryan White, Bernardo Ruiz, Stanley Nelson, Ross McElwee, Kirsten Johnson, Steve James, Peter Nicks, Marshall Curry, Albert Maysles, Julie Goldman, and James Longely among others.
• Local Durham Businesses (Community Partner Program)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal businesses and organizations participate in the free Community Partner Program, promoting the festival through social media, posters, and ticket giveaways in exchange for recognition.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DOC NYC: DOC NYC is America's largest documentary film festival held annually in New York City, featuring screenings, industry panels, and filmmaker Q&As. Comparable as a US-focused documentary festival serving filmmakers and documentary audiences.
• AFI Docs: AFI Docs (formerly Silverdocs) is the American Film Institute's documentary festival held in the Washington, DC metro area, featuring curated documentary programming and filmmaker engagement. Comparable as a US documentary festival with institutional backing.
• Camden International Film Festival (Points North Institute): Camden International Film Festival is a documentary-focused festival held annually in Camden, Maine, paired with year-round industry programming through Points North Institute. Comparable as an intimate US documentary festival with year-round extension.
• Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival: Hot Docs is a leading international documentary festival in Toronto featuring competitive documentary programming and industry programming. Comparable as a dedicated documentary festival with international filmmaker draw and industry positioning.
• Sheffield DocFest: Sheffield DocFest is a leading UK-based documentary festival with international industry programming and a focus on nonfiction storytelling. Comparable as a documentary-specialized festival with industry positioning.
• Traverse City Film Festival: Traverse City Film Festival is a Michigan-based independent film festival founded by Michael Moore featuring strong documentary programming. Comparable as a regionally rooted festival with curated documentary focus.
• True/False Film Festival: True/False Film Festival is a dedicated documentary film festival held annually in Columbia, Missouri, offering a similarly intimate, filmmaker-focused program. Directly comparable as a competing US documentary festival with comparable scale and mission.

Broad incumbents

• Tribeca Film Festival: Tribeca Film Festival is a major New York-based festival that programs documentary features alongside narrative films and episodic work. Comparable as a high-profile festival that programs documentary cinema and provides filmmaker platforms, though broader in scope.
• Sundance Film Festival: Sundance is the largest US independent film festival with a strong documentary section and Academy Award-qualifying status. Comparable as a major North American film festival with documentary curation, though much broader in scope than Full Frame.
• International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA): IDFA is the world's largest documentary film festival held annually in Amsterdam, with extensive industry programming and global filmmaker draw. Comparable as a leading global documentary festival with industry positioning, though operating at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fullframe
• YouTubevimeo.com/fullframefest
• Facebookfacebook.com/fullframefest
• Instagraminstagram.com/fullframefest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Full Frame Documentary Film Festival