David Sutherland has earned many awards and his work has been showcased at numerous Film Festivals throughout the world. Below you will find a listing of those awards and festivals. Some films include links for more information on the film and critical reaction.

• First Prize Super8 Film Award, New England Film and Video Festival- 1996
• Finalist, USA Film Festival- 1996
• Taos Talking Picture Festival- 1996
• Metropolitan Film Festival, Detroit- 1996
• Big Muddy Film Festival- 1996

• Christopher Award, Exceptional Merit Media Award Winner- 1996
• Gold Apple Award, National Educational Media Network Competition- 1996
• CINE Golden Eagle- 1995
• Co-sponsored by the National Women's Political Caucus and Radcliffe College

• Gold Award for Documentary Feature, World Festival Charleston- 1994
• Outstanding Independent Documentary Video Award, New England Film and Video Festival- 1995
• Certificate of Merit for Documentary Feature Film, Houston International Film Festival- 1995
• CineQuest, The San Jose International Film Festival- 1996
• Taos Talking Picture Festival- 1995
• Encontros Internacionais de Cinema Amascultura, Portugal- 1995
• Leipzing International Documentary Film Festival- 1995
• Munich International Documentary Film Festival- 1995
• Cork International Film Festival- 1995
• Cleveland International Film Festival- 1995
• Northampton Film Festival- 1995
• Berlin International Film Festival- 1994
• USA International Film Festival- 1994
• San Francisco International Film Festival- 1994
• Baltimore International Film Festival- 1994
• Input 1994, Montreal
• The Film Center Festival at the Art Institute of Chicago- 1994
• AFI Film Festival- 1994
• The Best of the AFI International Film Festival- 1994
• Screened at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
• The Virginia Festival of American Film- 1994
• Melbourne International Film Festival- 1994
• Sydney International Film Festival- 1994
• Denver International Film Festival- 1994

• Gold Plaque Award for Specialty in Directing, Chicago International Film and Video Festival- 1993
• Certificate for Creative Excellence: Biography, U.S. International Film and Video Festival- 1993
• Special Merit Award-TV Series-Documentary, Houston International Film and Video Festival- 1993
• CINE Golden Eagle- 1993

• Festival International Film Sur L'art, Lausanne (Suisse)- 1992
• Blue Ribbon, American Film Festival- 1991
• CINE Golden Eagle- 1991
• First Prize: Fine and Performing Arts, Birmingham International Educational Film Festival- 1991
• American Video Conference Award, American Film Institute- 1990

• CINE Golden Eagle- 1990
• Silver Award, Houston International Film Festival- 1989
• Silver Apple, National Educational Film and Video Festival- 1989
• The Chris Plaque Award, Columbus International Film Festival- 1989

• Blue Ribbon, American Film Festival- 1987
• Gold Plaque, Chicago International Film Festival for Documentary Features- 1986
• CINE Golden Eagle- 1986
• Selected by the Academy of Motion Pictures Foundation for its series featuring the outstanding documentary films of 1986
• Chosen by The Boston Herald as one of the ten best movies of 1986

• Best of Framelines Television, New England Cable Award- 1986

• Robert Flaherty Film Seminar- 1987
• Finalist, Banff Television Festival- 1987
• Best of Festival, Tyneside International Film Festival England-1986
• Berlin International Film Festival- 1985
• First Prize, Hemisfilm International Film Festival- 1985
• CINE Golden Eagle- 1984
• Finalist, American Film Festival- 1984
• Honorable Mention, National Educational Film Festival- 1984
• Silver Venus Award, Houston International Film Festival- 1983