FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A SHOW FOR A CHANGE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES NOVEMBER 2018 AWARD WINNERS FOR PURPOSE-DRIVEN FILMS

Long Beach, CA - December 10, 2018 – A Show For A Change today announced several winners for its monthly global film festival, celebrating socially impactful films from around the world.

“We’re honored to recognize these powerful films that advance the social causes of our time,” said Jared Milrad, founder and president of A Show For A Change. “In all corners of the globe, our film festival continues to spread an inspiring message of positivity and hope. I’m thrilled that our festival is elevating the voices of these brave filmmakers, who are tackling everything from climate change to sea turtle conservation to mental health.”

This month’s winners include:

Creativity Award: NIGHT LIGHT, an animated short film about a wide-eyed, newborn sea turtle named Fin finds himself on the illuminated beaches of Miami. It is a perilous time to be a hatchling, with hazards of artificial light and debris present at every turn. With the help of Abueluna, his caring, celestial guide, Fin will make the daring trek from his cluttered nest to the open seas. Directed by Yamiset Trujillo and Jane Suarez. Watch a clip here.
Storytelling Awards:
- ALTERNATIVE FACTS: THE LIES OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066, a documentary feature film about the false information and political influences which led to the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans. Directed by Jon Osaki. Watch a trailer here.
- STRESSED, a documentary feature film that delves into our history with stress, how we got to where we are today, and where we go from here. Directed by Luke Segreto. Watch a trailer here.
Cinematography Awards:
- INTRODUCING PHYSIOSHARK: BABY SHARKS AND CLIMATE CHANGE, a short documentary about how climate change threatens shark populations worldwide. Directed by Tom Vierus.
- REPICORE: RESEARCH IN MELANESIA, a short documentary about an innovative program on social-ecological systems in Melanesia - particularly in Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea. It aimed to investigate the effects of climate change-related stressors on the coral reef ecosystems as well as the respective communities that depend on them. The film presents an overview of the findings of the 5-year project. Directed by Tom Vierus.
Social Impact Awards:
- CAPTIVITY, a documentary feature film with never before seen footage documenting the mistreatment of animals in zoos, circuses and sea life parks. Featuring interviews with political figures, wildlife experts, and animal activists, CAPTIVITY discusses the psychological and physical effects caused by these captive environments. Directed by Phil Waller. Watch a trailer here.
- EVERY NINE MINUTES, a short documentary about how every nine minutes, the weight of a blue whale (300,000 pounds) in plastic makes its way into our oceans. To call attention to this, the Monterey Bay Aquarium built a life-sized replica of a blue whale made of single use, locally sourced plastic trash. Certified by Guinness World Records, the whale is the largest sculpture of its kind ever built. Directed by DJ O’Neill and Oliver Hamilton. Watch the full film here.

“The Night Light team would like to thank A Show For A Change Film Festival for this award,” said the team behind NIGHT LIGHT. “This film was created to support Sea Turtle Conservation, which is threatened by both natural and manmade hazards. Our team focused upon the effect of light pollution that causes interruption of hatchings’ natural instinct to follow moonlight into the ocean. Seaside communities can help by reducing beachside lighting and changing their lighting to amber, the color that does not distract them.”

Added Oliver Hamilton, co-director of EVERY NINE MINUTES: “The opportunity to affect positive change is a dream and being part of a community and festival that share the same value is an honor we are thankful to feel. We believe whales can inspire people to change their habits of plastic consumption - our habits are at the core of the issue. Thank you A Show For A Change for a platform to share.”

“Stress is something everyone in our society can relate to,” said Luke Segreto, director of STRESSED. “This is a story I have wanted to tell since I was a child and the science presented in this film helps to validate the things many people on this planet have intuitively known to be true.”

“The “Best Cinematography Award” means a lot to me and I am extremely grateful that my movie is shown around the world to raise awareness on sharks and climate change,” said Tom Vierus, director of INTRODUCING PHYSIOSHARK and REPICORE. “Shooting several weeks in the field and editing the movie has been a long process, and to see the final product being appreciated is a great feeling as a filmmaker and storyteller.”

"This award is such an honor and a privilege,” said Phil Waller, director of CAPTIVITY. “Giving a voice to those that can't speak for themselves means the world, and we can't thank A Show For Change Film Festival enough for helping our film have a global voice."

Founded by Jared Milrad - a filmmaker, advocate, and entrepreneur who has worked for President Barack Obama and advocated for numerous social causes - A Show For A Change Film Festival raises up our planet's most compelling stories and inspiring voices. The film festival’s goal is to build a world filled with greater empathy and shared prosperity.

A Show For A Change invites filmmakers who share a passion for changing the world through the power of storytelling to submit to our monthly film festival. We seek diverse, engaging stories that address societal, environmental, and cultural issues. To apply for our next film festival, filmmakers can submit their projects by December 28, 2018 using this link: https://filmfreeway.com/ashowforachange

About A Show For A Change Film Festival

With 120+ submissions in its first-year run, A Show For A Change has awarded some of the most creative, groundbreaking, and inspiring stories highlighting social issues. The company’s mission is to celebrate socially impactful films through the art of storytelling and advocate for enduring social change. It embraces films that challenge the status quo and stand up for urgent causes like human rights, animal rights, and the environment.

Learn more about our current projects and monthly global film festival at ashowforachange.com

Website: A Show For A Change

Twitter: @AShowForAChange

Instagram: @AShowForAChange

Facebook: @AShowForAChange

Hashtag: #AShowForAChange

###