The Hunger Season is now inviting schools and universities, NGO’s, environmental groups, and faith based organizations to order a copy of the film and host their own ‘Meal & a Movie’ event – similar to the one hosted in Madison during Tales from Planet Earth.

Multiple copies of the DVD can be included so that organizations can reach out to their constituency, raise awareness around hunger and raise money for their organization at the same time.

When the group comes together, it is asked for them to forgo their evening meal and instead watch the film, and eat cooked maise as a show of solidarity for the billion hungry.

As a part of the event, it is encouraged to use the moment to come and talk about initiatives happening in their area, to encourage audience members to volunteer their time if they are able or make a small donation to hunger projects in their community.

For every DVD or Event Box that you buy, $5.00 will automatically be sent to Action4africa, a charity which supports child farmer projects in Swaziland where children are taught the life skills which have been lost in a population ravaged by the effects of AIDs and Famine. You can find out more about this initiative and sign up.

Sophie Gore Browne from Chicken & Egg pictures joins us as a guest blogger

Chicken & Egg Pictures in partnership with Working Films hosted another STORY LEADS TO ACTION at 92YTribeca, with a screening of the documentary Good Fortune by filmmakers Landon Van Soest and Jeremy Levine.

Set in Kenya, the documentary vividly calls into question the positive impact of international development organizations, from the housing reconstruction efforts of the UN in the slums of Kibera to a private agri-business in the swamp lands of Yala. The film raises issues about dead aid, and the politics of international development which often excludes the involvement of the very people these organizations are trying to help.

The film has had a successful year on the festival circuit along with a notable P.O.V. broadcast, but the aim of the night was to put heads together with NY guest educators to hash out how this film could really make a difference where it is most needed; among students learning international development, aid organizations, the donor community, inter-governmental organizations like the UN/World Bank/IMF that promote foreign investment in developing countries.

From left to right: Landon Van Soest, Jeremy Levine, Eliza Licht, David Gerwin, Dr. Mojúbàobolú Olúfúnké Okome

Dr. Mojúbàobolú Olúfúnké Okome, Professor of Political Science; Eliza Licht, Director, Community Engagement and Education, P.O.V.; and David Gerwin, Associate Professor, Coordinator, Program in Social Studies, all provided varied personal insight on the content of the film and the purpose to which it could be most effectively used.

P.O.V. came away with ideas for compiling an education packet to be distributed with the film to various education institutions and both Professors spoke about how the film could be used in the class room. Beyond the guest speakers contributions to the conversation, filmmakers in the audience shared their views and ideas about ways to take this film beyond the film circuit.

Audience members where encouraged to write their questions and ideas down, whilst the conversation was taking place, for the filmmakers to take home and transform into practical audience engagement strategies.

Here are some of audience members’ suggestions:
•    Show the film to large foundations to encourage them to support projects with local involvement.
•    Include more statistics for the educational version.
•    Give updates on what is happening with the stories now.
•    Provide more info on different approaches to development like microlending.
•    We also got lots of great suggestions for organizations to highlight for our educational guide and venues to screen the film.

Thanks to all!

We are excited that our former Ithaca Park Scholar, Jeremy Levine, is heading to SILVERDOCS this week for the World Premiere of a film that he has been working tirelessly on with his filmmaking partner Landon Van Soest.

Good Fortune explores how massive, international efforts to alleviate poverty in Africa may be undermining the very communities they aim to benefit. Through intimate portraits of two Kenyans battling to save their homes from large-scale development organizations, the film presents a unique opportunity to experience foreign aid through the people it is intended to benefit.

In the rural countryside, Jackson’s farm is being flooded by an American investor who hopes to alleviate poverty by creating a multi-million dollar rice farm. Across the country in Nairobi, Silva’s home and business in Africa’s largest squatter community are being demolished as part of a United Nations slum-upgrading project.

Interweaving meditative portraits of its characters, Good Fortune examines the real-world impact of international aid. With a broad scope and intimate style, the film portrays gripping stories of human perseverance and suggests that the answers for Africa lie in the resilience of its people.

Following the two screenings, there will be Q&A’s with the filmmakers and organizations who are working in unique ways to address international aid that benefits the communities that they aim to support.

The film has already received kudos, as it was the recipient of the 2007 Sundance Documentary Fund, winner of the Fledgling Fund Award for Socially Conscious Documentaries at the 2007 IFP Market, and the recipient of a Fulbright Grant in the Creative and Performing Arts.

The New York premiere will be the following week at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, a leading venue for distinguished fiction, documentary and animated films and videos with a distinctive human rights theme. This screening is presented in association with the Fledgling Fund and IFP and will also include a post-screening Q&A.