The projects supported by the WorldView partnership with Sundance Institute continue to thrive. In April 2012, Sundance Institute and WorldView announced that they would jointly present awards to four films that focus on social justice issues in the developing world.
Street Girls by Katie Mark
Farming by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
My Brother the Devil by Sally El Hosaini
Valley of Saints by Musa Syeed
Each award is accompanied by a £5,000 or £10,000 grant, and the Documentary Development Award for Street Girls is enhanced with professional access to film mentorship from Jerry Rothwell, whose documentaries have been supported by WorldView and Sundance Institute.
Projects from emerging filmmakers in all corners of the globe were considered, with the winning projects displaying originality and innovation in their approach to social justice issues in the developing world and contextualizing their outreach to maximize the social impact of the films.
Himesh Kar, Consultant of WorldView, said: “WorldView are thrilled to collaborate with Sundance Institute on these Awards. Each filmmaker has made bold and brave choices in their storytelling but very much keeping audience connection in mind. These films bring a unique eye on issues and cultures that are often misrepresented or ignored by mainstream media.”
Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said: “Independent film has a legacy of focusing on social justice issues in regions we don’t often hear about, and we applaud filmmakers for taking on these issues. We hope the awards announced today help raise awareness around the issues they explore as well as the importance of film as a vehicle for helping bring to life the stories of our world.”
Sally El Hosaini’s My Brother the Devil comes to UK Cinemas in November 2012. Valley of the Saints by Musa Syeed continues the festival route, presently in Australia. Farming by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Street Girls by Katie Mark are currently in production- keep an eye on our news for more details.
