October 2020 Award Winners

 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Jared Milrad, Founder and President 

A Show For A Change, Inc. 

info@ashowforachange.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A SHOW FOR A CHANGE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES OCTOBER 2020 AWARD WINNERS FOR SOCIAL IMPACT FILMS  

Los Angeles, CA – November 17, 2020A Show For A Change today announced several winners for its monthly global film festival, celebrating social impact films from around the world. The awarded films include projects from around the world and were created by numerous celebrated filmmakers.

“We’re proud to recognize these powerful films that advance the social causes of our time,” said Jared Milrad, founder and president of A Show For A Change. “Our festival continues to attract a strong diversity of socially conscious films from around the world. This month’s awarded films address timely causes, including the war on drugs, mental health, and environmental sustainability.”

This month’s winners include: 

●     Social Impact Award: DENNIS: The Man Who Legalized Cannabis Directed by Brandon Moore.

The story of veteran, LGBTQ+ and cannabis activist, Dennis Peron, who fought to get cannabis to HIV/AIDS patients in 1990s San Francisco. Watch the trailer here!


●     Creativity Award: Seeds Directed by Yonca Sophia Ergen

Seeds Is a three-part webseries about the climate generation. Each episode portrays a young person from a different country who is pursuing an individual approach on communicating climate change and making their voice heard. Watch the trailer here!


●     Storytelling Award: Kanda Bode (Don't Get Whipped)  Directed byFekad Kiros and Cheryl Halpern

This documentary focuses on the Hamar Tribe, a semi nomadic and rural people who live along the Omo River in Southwestern Ethiopia. Preserving the traditions of their ancestors is essential to defining Hamar life. One of the most venerated of the Hamar’s ancient traditions involves the transition of the Hamar male into an adult. Today, however there is a new awareness that aspects of this tradition are harmful to the health and well being of many who participate. The Hamar people are beginning to consider how their tradition can evolve.

Watch the trailer here!


●     Cinematography Award: Darkest Directed by Martin T. B. Thomas.

Jesper is a weekend-dad fed up with life, so he travels out into the woods to commit suicide. Equipped only with the birthday gift to his son, he drives as far as the forest allows before he connects the exhaust pipe to the driver's window and turns the ignition. But not even this can go as wanted, and the night offers a surprising acquaintanceWatch the trailer here!

 

“We are so happy to have been included in A show For Change. With Darkest, as a filmmaker, I wanted to try to explore how marginalisation and our society´s pressure of success may lead people to fatal conclusions. I think that you can apply humor to every situation, as long as the humor is fine-tuned, precise, and contextually relevant. With Darkest, we wanted to use the art of filmmaking to shine a light on two marginalised souls, through almost sardonic humor. Films are a great way to start a conversation, because films may pose questions, and the audience may discuss their individual experiences after watching the film. And this film, I hope, may lead to another question: Why do white males account for almost 70% of suicide deaths?”

– Martin T. B. Thomas, Director of Darkest

 

“We're honored to receive the Social Impact award from A Show For A Change Film Festival. Veteran, LGBTQ+ and cannabis activist, Dennis Peron dedicated his entire life towards the legalization of cannabis for medical use. This award emboldens us as filmmakers to continue making films like DENNIS. We hope to share his incredible story with as wide an audience as possible.”

– Brandon Moore, Director of DENNIS: The Man Who Legalized Cannabis

 

“I truly feel honored to receive the creativity award for my web series, Seeds. Especially because this project, which I made from home, is being recognized by people who live on the other side of the ocean and who have the urge to encourage young filmmakers that want to make a social change. Climate Change is one of the biggest issues of our time and communicating it in an inspiring and different way is needed to shine a light on that topic and change a certain perspective. The web series, Seeds is my attempt to capture the zeitgeist of the climate generation. It follows three protagonists from different countries who each have different reasons for and approaches to being more environmentally friendly. The series addresses topics such as climate anxiety, the feeling of powerlessness, and how versatile each contribution can be. The essence of the series is expressed through the name, Seeds. It doesn’t matter if your contribution is large or small and what it looks like. What matters is that you start somewhere. Each contribution can be a seed that falls on the earth and is ready to grow.  Thank you for the acknowledgment and this opportunity.”

– Yonca Ergen, Creator of Seeds


A Show For A Change invites filmmakers who share a passion for changing the world through the power of storytelling to submit to our monthly film festival. We seek diverse, engaging stories that address societal, environmental, and cultural issues. To apply for our next film festival, filmmakers can submit their projects by November 29, 2020 using this link: https://filmfreeway.com/ashowforachange


About A Show For A Change Film Festival 

With 400+ global submissions, A Show For A Change has awarded some of the most creative, groundbreaking, and inspiring stories highlighting social issues since launching its monthly festival in December 2017. The company’s mission is to celebrate socially impactful films through the art of storytelling and advocate for enduring social change. It embraces films that challenge the status quo and stand up for urgent causes like human rights, animal rights, and the environment. 


Learn more about our current projects and monthly global film festival at ashowforachange.com


Website: A Show For A Change

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