Points North Institute

The Points North Institute is a media arts organization dedicated to providing a launching pad for the next generation of nonfiction storytellers while strengthening Maine communities through powerful nonfiction media. We got our start in 2005 with the founding of the Camden International Film Festival (CIFF), which has been recognized as one of the top documentary film festivals in the world.

The Points North Institute’s programs now include an annual 4-day film festival, a year-round screening series, and a growing suite of artist support initiatives that nurture the careers and artistic voices of diverse nonfiction storytellers. These include an annual film industry conference, an exhibition of interactive and immersive media, a fellowship program, a weeklong filmmakers’ retreat (produced in partnership with Tribeca Film Institute and CNN Films), a filmmaker residency, and educational initiatives that use documentary film and media to engage students and communities across the state.

As our organization expands, we are committed to building a unique, interdisciplinary community of filmmakers, artists, journalists, industry leaders and local audiences, forming a creative hub on the coast of Maine where stories and talent are discovered, collaborations are born, and the future of nonfiction media is shaped.