Patricia Aufderheide

Professor

American University

Patricia Aufderheide is a University Professor of Communication Studies in the School of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C. She founded the School’s Center for Media & Social Impact, where she continues as Senior Research Fellow. Her latest book is Kartemquin Films: Documentaries on the Frontlines of Democracy (University of California Press). Among her other books are (with Peter Jaszi) Reclaiming Fair Use: How to Put Balance Back in Copyright (University of Chicago), and Documentary: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford). She has been a Fulbright Research Fellow in Brazil (1994–95), Australia (2017), and South Korea (2024). She is also a John Simon Guggenheim fellow (1994) and has served as a juror at the Sundance Film Festival, among others.

Aufderheide has received numerous journalism and scholarly awards, including the George Stoney Award for service to documentary films from the University Film and Video Association in 2015, the International Communication Association’s Communication Research as an Agent of Change Award in 2010, Woman of Vision award from Women in Film and Video (DC) in 2010, a career achievement award in 2008 from the International Digital Media and Arts Association, and the Scholarship and Preservation Award in 2006 from the International Documentary Association.

Participating Sessions

DX ACCESS

DX ACCESS connects registered attendees to representatives of the most respected and innovative organizations and individuals in film and journalism, and provides unparalleled face time with funders, producers, festival programmers, distributors, media outlets, reporters, writers and directors. In one-on-one sessions, they will unpack how they work, learn more about your goals, and explore the possibilities for supporting your project.

Between Care and Truth: Ethical Dilemmas in Character-Driven Documentary

Documentary filmmakers spend months—and often years—cultivating trust with their subjects, bound by a deep duty of care that underpins the filmmaker–protagonist relationship. But what happens when the subject is deeply flawed, or when their values clash with those of the filmmaker? This panel explores the tension between honoring that trust and remaining accountable to history, truth, and the audience.