From a pool of over 60 films, we narrowed the finalists down to eight powerful stories told by committed filmmakers, all attending our Films for Good workshop this weekend, 3 – 25 July, in Islington, London. We designed this workshop with the Channel 4 BRITDOC team to create effective strategic community and audience engagement campaigns for social issue documentaries accepted into the program. We’ve already developed some ideas for each film’s campaign with a suggested range of potential partners – including leading NGOs as well as some corporate brand partners.
Last year, filmmakers said the workshop was “inspirational!”, “thrilling” and, most importantly perhaps, “pragmatic”. Presenters this year include Jess Search (C4 BRITDOC), Christo Hird (Dartmouth Films), Sarah Cropley (Wellcome Trust), Claire Ebrey (The Co-Operative) and others. Attendance is by invitation only, but watch out for a report out on the week, and the high profile release of each of the films involved.
Participating projects include:
Planeat
Dir. Shelley Lee Davies
PLANEAT tells the story of the scientists, farmers and chefs tackling one of the greatest problems of our age, our love affair with meat and dairy. Through an extraordinary personal and mouthwatering culinary journey we discover why it’s bad for our health, the environment, and our planet’s future, and what a balanced diet actually means.
Dancing with Hugo Boss
Dir. Heather Leach
Dancing with Hugo Boss’ is an intensely personal feature documentary that looks at the importance of life, love and mortality. This life affirming film raises issues about coping with cancer, family relationships and a desire to line dance in a pair of Hugo Boss boots!
Ping Pong
Dir. Hugh Hartford
Elders from across the planet compete in the “World over 80s Table Tennis Championships” in Inner Mongolia. 8 characters from 4 continents guide us through the life affirming world of athletics for the over 80 crowd.
The Flaw
Dir. David Sington
What caused the great American financial meltdown of 2007, an event whose consequences will continue to be felt all over the world for years, perhaps decades, to come? The Flaw delves into the history of American capitalism to provide a definitive – and surprising – answer.
Calvet
Dir. Dominic Allan
Jean Marc Calvet has a dark and violent past. Now a successful artist, he must find the son he abandoned in France 12 years ago at the age of six.
We Are Many
Dir. Amir Amirani
Only a few days after 9/11, a small group of peace activists met in London to discuss the potential repercussions of the attack in NY. Little did they know, one small meeting would later grow into a global protest against the planned invasion of Iraq, 30 million strong — the biggest peace march in human history. Through the first hand testimony of the key figures involved, we will unveil the drama, and magnitude of the events that led up to this historic day, and why its lack of an impact was so troubling.
Save us from Saviours
Dir. Kat Mansoor
They don’t want to be saved. They don’t need rehabilitation. They need rights. This film will follow the campaign of VAMP, an amazing group of Indian sex workers, as they fight for their right to be treated as human beings, and for an end to social stigma.
Not on the Label
Dir. Rachel Seifert
In Mexico, the war on drug trafficking has left over 13,500 dead, with Ciudad Juarez currently having the highest murder rate in the world. This film looks deep behind the motives of the coca growers, Latin politicians and the doctors who have witnessed the negative impact the drug trade has had on people in their communities.
