The Camden International Film Festival has been recognized as 1 of 23 US film festivals to receive a grant from the Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the 2013 calendar year.

“We are extremely honored to be recognized by the Academy in such a meaningful way,”said Ben Fowlie, founder and director of CIFF. “This support will allow us to delve even deeper into appreciating the craftsmanship found within the documentary form, while increasing the level of interaction between filmmakers and audiences during the festival.”

The Academy Foundation distributes $1 million annually to film scholars, cultural organizations and film festivals throughout the U.S. and abroad. Since its establishment in 1999, the Academy’s Festival Grants Program has distributed 277 grants totaling $4.85 million in funding. For more information about the Academy, visit www.oscars.org.