The winners of the third annual Silver State Documentary Film Festival will be introduced at an awards ceremony Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Grand Hall of the Richard Tam Alumni Center on the UNLV Campus.

Hosted by the Greenspun School of Communication, the festival recognizes outstanding achievement by college faculty and students in documentary filmmaking. Each year, entries are judged by video producers and other noted communication experts.

This year's entrants represent higher education organizations from across the United States. Entries are accepted in the categories of biography, science and nature, culture, current events, entertainment, and fine arts.

The documentary deemed the best of all entries receives the Silver State Award and a $1,000 cash prize. The winner of the Greenspun Student Achievement Award receives $500 and each category winner receives $250.

Excerpts from the winning entries will be shown during the awards ceremony.

The Silver State Award for this year will go to an entry from the University of Arkansas called "Underground Arkansas." The film, produced and edited by Dale Carpenter, explores the caves of northwest Arkansas through the eyes of scientists, commercial cave owners, and cave adventurers.

The Greenspun Student Achievement Award will go to Tabitha Cortopassi, a student in the Greenspun School. Her entry, "Culture Shock," focuses on a Las Vegas dance troupe of the same name and examines the positive aspects and history of hip-hop dance.

For more information, call festival organizer Laurie Fruth at the Greenspun School of Communication at (702) 895-3325.