MASS MoCA Residency Alum Launches Multimedia Website

As we gear up for the Content + Intent Documentary Institute, Working Films Residency at MASS MoCA for 2009 I have been in touch with alumni of the residency to see what they are up to and find out about ways the residency has influenced their audience engagement efforts. I was very excited when I received an email from ’06 Mass MoCA alum Paula Consolini sharing with me a new educational website that she has built using clips from her film Breaking the Mold. When Paula was at the MASS…

Filmmaker reflects on MASS MoCA 2008

As we begin taking applications for the 2009 Content + Intent Documentary Institute, Working Films’ Residency at MASS MoCA we wanted to give you a sense of what the experience was like for other filmmakers. In March of 2008 Sean Flynn joined 10 other documentarians for our 5 day workshop in the beautiful Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. The following are reflections on the residency that Sean so graciously agreed to share with us. If Sean’s experience sparks your interest in the Institute click here for more info and download the…

Women’s Power Exemplified: Pray the Devil Back to Hell opens in NYC

One of our newest projects is Pray the Devil Back to Hell, a film by Abigail Disney and Gini Reticker. This award winning film chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together across faith to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country. We are so excited to be part of the efforts to engage audiences in the issues of women’s power and the potential of nonviolent action, and we are thrilled that the film is receiving stellar reviews. Pray the Devil…

Works-In-Progress at the Cucalorus Film Festival

Working Films has partnered up with the Cucalorus Film Festival to provide a Works-In-Progress category, which gives filmmakers an opportunity to test their work before an audience – at many different stages of production. Working Films will be hosting free screenings of The Wounded Come Home, Cape Wind, and The Appropriate Genius. We will be facilitating a Q&A after each film with the filmmaker and community organizations. The Cucarolus Film Festival is November 12-15th 2008 in Wilmington, NC. The Appropriate Genius Thursday, November 13th 2008 10:45am – 12:45pm @ Jengo’s…

Blog Action Day: Documentaries on Poverty

Today is Blog Action Day and people all over are writing posts about issues of poverty. We immediately thought about a film that brought home the 2008 Full Frame / Working Films Award, Trouble the Water. The award winning documentary captures the story of a couple, Kim and Scott, who were trapped in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. The film offers a first hand account of people living in the 9th ward with limited resources who are unable to evacuate the city and forced to survive the floods. After three…

Powerful Trip to Tucson, AZ

Often times we hear on the news about the hundreds of thousands of people crossing into the United States every year, but seldom do we stop to think that among them are young children… 9, 12, 14 years old risking their lives in the desert. On September 27 I was honored to spend the bulk of the day strategizing with incredible activists and organizers about how Children in No Man’s Land can enhance their work to protect the lives and rights of children and other immigrants crossing our southern border.…

The Green Lifestyle Film Festival currently accepting submissions!

The Green Lifestyle Film Festival is currently accepting submissions for next year’s festival to be held March 13-15, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The Green Lifestyle Film Festival is a unique festival that “focuses on sustainable life choices”. The deadline for submission is December 31st, 2008. To submit your film or find out more information, please visit their website.

Call for Entries: Ninth Annual Media That Matters Film Festival!

“The Media That Matters Film Festival…is unlike most in its insistence on community screenings through the world. The stories are humane, emotionally rich and often humorous despite the heavy subject matter.” – The Indypendent Media That Matters is the premier showcase for short films with big messages. Following a New York City Premiere, Awards Ceremony and industry networking events in June 2009, your film will take part in the Media That Matters international, multi-platform campaign with DVD distribution, broadcasts, streaming and hundreds of screenings across the globe! Each year Working…

Fellowship Opportunity for Creative Professionals

Are you an excellent photographer, photojournalist, filmmaker, artist, or other creative professional? The Open Society Institute (OSI), is seeking professionals from around the world for the Open Society Fellowship who focus on one of the following four areas: National Security and the Open Society; Citizenship, Membership and Marginalization; Strategies and Tools for Advocacy and Citizen Engagement; and Understanding Authoritarianism. OSI is a private operating and grantmaking foundation that aims to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform.This fellowship enables innovative professionals-including journalists,…

Think Your Film Can Change the World?

We do. Ingrid Kopp, Director of the US Office of Shooting People and a key staffer at the recent BritDoc Fest, recently wrote an illuminating piece for Movie Scope. She reveals how documentary filmmakers in the UK are discovering new models of funding and distribution through tapping in to the social impact potential of their films. Read Your Film Can Change the World.