True/False Film Fest
One of the most distinctive documentary festivals in the world, held annually in March in Columbia, Missouri, celebrating nonfiction filmmaking with a unique arts festival atmosphere and passionate audiences.
Overview
True/False Film Fest is one of the most distinctive and beloved documentary film festivals in the world. Founded in 2004 and held annually in early March in Columbia, Missouri, the festival has developed a singular identity that combines rigorous documentary programming with a broader arts festival spirit including live music, street performances, and community events.
True/False is known for its passionate, knowledgeable audiences and its refusal to operate like a conventional industry festival. The event intentionally keeps its scale intimate, screens approximately 40 feature documentaries over four days, and prioritizes the experience of watching and discussing films over market activity. This approach has made True/False one of the most acclaimed festival experiences in the world for both filmmakers and audiences.
The festival's Columbia location in the American Midwest is deliberately unconventional. True/False argues that great documentary cinema deserves to be seen in places beyond the coasts, and the response from Columbia's audiences has validated this philosophy.
Key Sections
- Feature Documentary Program -- curated feature documentaries in competitive and non-competitive screenings
- Short Film Programs -- curated nonfiction shorts
- Maysles Documentary Prize -- competition honoring the best film of the festival
- True Life Fund -- a filmmaker grant program that donates proceeds to documentary subjects
- Ragtag Cinema -- year-round documentary programming connected to the festival
- Street Music and Art -- the broader arts programming surrounding the film program
What Filmmakers Should Know
True/False does not operate a traditional open submission process. Films are selected by invitation through the festival's curatorial team and relationships with filmmakers, sales agents, and producers. The festival's selectivity is part of its identity.
A True/False selection is one of the most coveted invitations in documentary filmmaking. The festival's passionate audience, the quality of filmmaker engagement, and the warm, community-centered atmosphere create an experience that filmmakers consistently describe as extraordinary. The Maysles Documentary Prize, named after the legendary documentary filmmakers Albert and David Maysles, is a mark of meaningful recognition.
The True Life Fund is a unique initiative where a portion of ticket sales goes directly to documentary subjects rather than filmmakers, reflecting True/False's commitment to the ethics of documentary representation.
Major Awards
- Maysles Documentary Prize -- for outstanding documentary filmmaking
- True Life Audience Award -- audience-voted recognition
Festival History
True/False was founded in 2004 by David Wilson and Paul Sturtz, who had backgrounds in arts programming and independent cinema. The founders' vision was to create a festival that combined the best documentary cinema with a genuine community celebration, and this vision has been realized over two decades of operation.
See Also
For documentary filmmaking ethics and craft, see Documentary Filmmaking Guide. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.
