A “docuphile” is the lover of all thing documentary.  A lover of reality.  In essence, a lover of the world that surrounds us.  I believe knowing more about the world around us makes us better human beings.

Documentaries (in all forms) teach us so much about the world landscape, both on a global level and a personal level.  I’ve been working as a programmer and consultant specializing in non-fiction film and video for almost twenty years.  It’s amazing what we’re able to experience visually, sonically and emotionally through the documentary form.

I believe there’s incredible opportunity for learning and understanding at the intersection of media, arts and cultures (as in “the beliefs, customs, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time,” not “the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively”).  Exposure only gives us more opportunity to contemplate and analyze what is not directly in our sphere of being. I believe this fuels creativity and growth potential. Technology has opened the world to us, and while it can keep us from fully experiencing life, it also has the capacity to make the world smaller.  I’m interested in how all these things – media, storytelling, technology, art, societies – can influence positive social transformation.

Where I come from…

Karen Cirillo

I ( Karen Cirillo ) have 20 years of experience leading art, culture and humanitarian programs, from managing and programming film festivals to developing media, communication and educational initiatives.

I honed my passion for the documentary form at through working at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University and the DoubleTake Documentary Film Festival (now Full Frame).  I am the founder and programmer of doxita, a traveling program of short documentaries, which I launched to profile the great content and artistic vision that non-fiction short films provide, but that people don’t often get a chance to see. I’ve programmed for True/False, Aurora Picture and other festivals.

I worked at UNICEF for twelve years, where my extensive international travel and working with colleagues and individuals in other countries allowed me to gain global experience and learn about human rights in ways that my education and life experience had not provided.   worked extensively with international broadcasters and was the global coordinator for the OneMinutesJr., an arts-based video initiative that captures youth viewpoints on the world.  I had produced video workshops with youth in over 25 countries, which showed me firsthand how cultural expression can teach us so much about societies and the world.