23 September 2011
Newsdesk
Morgan Spurlock: The PUMA Creative Impact Award recognizes films and filmmakers who actually had made a difference with their movies, that created social change, and I think this is fantastic
Jess Search: The PUMA.Creative Impact Award really is the first time that people have taken an interest in how much did a film really create social change, political change, change the way people voted, the way they consume.
Te PUMA.Creative Impact Award launched in partnership with the Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation, are the first awards of their kind and will recognise the documentary film over the past 3 years which has had the greatest social impact. As Franny Armstrong, directory of The Age of Stupid stated, “I’m far more proud of being nominated for this award than if I’d been nominated for an Oscar - not that I know what feels like. This was my whole reason for making films, to help change the world.”
The 50,000 Euro grant will be awarded to the creative minds behind the winning entry, to acknowledge the film’s creators and to help further the campaign and impact of the documentary. The films shortlisted for the award cover topics ranging from environmental issues to social justice and global conflict, and all five documentaries have enlightened and inspired individuals about global concerns (see below).
The final five films will be judged by an elite jury which will meet on 6th September. The jury includes Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, Morgan Spurlock (Academy Award-nominated Director of “Super Size Me”), Orlando Bagwell (Director of the JustFilms initiative at the Ford Foundation), and Emmanuel Jal (musician and activist). You can find out more information on the jurors here.
The finalists for the 2011 PUMA.Creative Impact Award were announced at the Durban International Film Festival and you can find an overview of these groundbreaking works on the website here. The finalists are:
• The Age of Stupid: directed by Franny Armstrong and produced by Lizzie Gillett
• Burma VJ: directed by Anders Østergaard and produced by Lise Lense-Møller
• The End of The Line: directed by Rupert Murray and produced by Claire Lewis & George Duffield
• The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court: directed by Pamela Yates and produced by Paco de Onís
• Trouble The Water: directed and produced by Tia Lessin & Carl Deal
For more info please visit www.britdoc.org/impactaward
