Queen Noor of Jordan and Documentary Director Morgan Spurlock Join First Jury
Today PUMA.Creative and Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation announced the launch of the PUMA.Creative Impact Award, a major new annual award to honor the documentary film creating the most significant impact in the world. This 50,000 Euro award acknowledges the film’s makers and will help the continuation of the film’s campaign work.
The PUMA.Creative Impact Award will be selected by a jury which includes Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan; Morgan Spurlock, Academy Award nominated Director of Super Size Me; Orlando Bagwell, Director of the Ford Foundation Social Justice Media Initiative; and Emmanuel Jal, musician and activist.
“Finally, an award which acknowledges the unique role documentary film plays in society” said Morgan Spurlock. “I am proud to be invited to join the first jury and I encourage documentary filmmakers everywhere to take a look at this initiative. It is really going to make a difference.”
“With a financial reward that encourages best practice in the filmmaking community, the aim of the PUMA.Creative Impact Award is to draw attention to the finest creative, social justice, peace and environmental filmmaking in the world” said Jess Search, CEO, Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation.”
Recent high profile releases such The Cove, Food Inc, Burma VJ, No Impact Man and The Age of Stupid will all be eligible to compete for the prize money as well as less well-known films that have had a large local effect.
“As individuals and as organizations, we are faced with some serious challenges today such as ongoing conflict, climate change, loss of biodiversity. None of these issues will solve themselves without intervention,” says Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO of PUMA. “We, at PUMA, have chosen to intervene through film because it is the most powerful medium to reach mass audiences and influence opinion formers and will contribute to leaving a better world for generations to come.”
The call for the PUMA.Creative Impact Award opens on January 21 during the Sundance Film Festival. Anyone can put a film forward from any country-filmmakers, distributors, film festivals, partner organizations including NGOs and Foundations, film critics and journalists. Each filmmaking team must submit data demonstrating evidence of the film’s social impact and if shortlisted additional data and verifications will be requested. Films can be put forward any time up to three years after release (where the release is defined as first film festival screening, TV broadcast, cinema release or internet release).
Submissions close on April 1, 2011 when Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation will assess
applications and produce a shortlist to be assessed by an international Peer Review
Committee including: Carol Cone, Executive Vice President of Cone@Edelman; Diana Barrett, President and Founder of Fledgling Fund; Yvette Alberdingkthijm, Executive Director of WITNESS; Pat Aufderheide, Director of Center for Social Media, American University; Isabelle Schwarz, Head of Strategic Programmes at European Cultural Foundation; and Sarah Hunter, Head of UK Public Policy at Google.
Five final nominated films will then be put forward to the Jury for consideration. The
PUMA.Creative Impact Award will be given in London in October at the annual PUMA.Creative and Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation Gala and Awards Ceremony.
“Music is one of the few things that has the power to touch your heart mind and soul without your permission. This is why I choose to use this tool to pass my message to the world,” said says Juror Emmanuel Jal. “Film has the same power, moving pictures can tap into the senses, pull on the heart strings and communicate intense and detailed information to the viewer.”
Filmmakers interested in applying for the PUMA.Creative Impact Award should go to
www.britdoc.org/impactaward
