The Mission of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute is to provide unique educational and cultural opportunities, to advance the documentary genre as a meaningful art form, and to establish the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival as the premier documentary film festival in the world

The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival began in 1992, launched by a small group of arts activists in Hot Springs. That year, 10 Academy Award nominated documentary films were screened to the public free of charge. Veteran actor James Whitmore lent his presence to this first event and spoke of a bright future: "This (Hot Springs) could be the documentary capital of the world." READ MORE