CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jared Milrad, Founder and President
A Show For A Change, Inc. + Movikarma, Inc.
info@ashowforachange.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A SHOW FOR A CHANGE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES MARCH 2021 AWARD WINNERS FOR SOCIAL IMPACT FILMS
Los Angeles, CA – April 27, 2021 – A Show For A Change today announced several winners for its monthly global film festival, celebrating social impact films from around the world. The awarded films include projects from around the world and were created by numerous celebrated filmmakers.
“We’re proud 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. “Our festival continues to attract a strong diversity of socially conscious films from around the world. This month’s awarded films address timely causes, including racial justice, climate change, the harmful effects of colonialism, and autism awareness.”
This month’s winners include:
● Jury’s Choice Award: What COVID-19 Exposed in Long-Term Care Directed by Christian Lockerman.
As the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged long-term care and skilled nursing facilities, blame was thrown quickly at the facilities and their operators. But where does the responsibility actually lie for the failure to protect tens of thousands of frail seniors? This 20-minute documentary explores the causes behind the COVID-19 crisis in long-term care facilities across the United States. Learn more by clicking here!
● Social Impact Award: The Fight to Ban Live Animals Directed by Jordan Ehrlich.
Even under the picturesque skyline of New York City, there are over 80 “wet” markets filled with unimaginable abuse and disease. Learn more by clicking here!
● Creativity Award: The Peaceful Revolution Directed by Ed Munter.
Based on the award-winning episodic, The Peaceful Revolution, THE PEACEFUL REVOLUTION: JOURNEY TO FREEDOM is a musical exploration along the back roads of our contemporary landscape. Our guide on this journey is a cross between a rural poet, a modern troubadour, and a country philosopher. We travel together down the road less traveled as he shares engaging observations, provocative perspectives, homespun spoken word, socially relevant songs, and bits of down-home wisdom. Our guide appears to be a kind of homegrown Everyman who entices us on this vision quest with a question; “What does it mean to be free?” See the trailer here!
● Storytelling Award: Refuge Directed by Mehmet Tığlı.
This is the true story of an Iraqi male college student and a female rape victim from Syria, who come across each other in Istanbul. While the Iraqi guy is trying to get away from Istanbul as soon as possible in order to continue his education in Italy and meet his lover over there, the only thing that the woman wants is stay alive and feel secure. See the trailer here!
● Spotlight Award: Connect/Disconnect Directed by Kandace McGowan.
Eight teenagers capture their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and school closures for a school history project. The group includes YouTube vlogger Adrian, overachiever Reese, activist Kaelin, high-school power couple Lucas and Bailey, the outcast Mallory and escapist Zack. Each teenager copes with what it means to come of age during a global pandemic, finding moments of hope and connection in their isolation. Connect/Disconnect is an original devised film, written and created by Sehome Drama high school students about their experiences during the school closures and 2020 pandemic. Watch the trailer here!
"I am honored and grateful to receive the Creativity Award for the feature, THE PEACEFUL REVOLUTION: JOURNEY TO FREEDOM. My work has always been about using art, music, and film to inspire positive social change. Discovering A SHOW FOR CHANGE, a film festival dedicated to making a positive impact on Hollywood by supporting socially conscious films is like finding an oasis on a long trip through the desert."
Ed Munter, Director of The Peaceful Revolution: Journey to Freedom
“My film may be hard for some to watch. But this is the reality of how the vast majority of animals are treated. Whether it’s free-range organic, halal, kosher, humane or #5 on Whole Foods’ 5-step animal welfare rating, this is what happens to animals. Even small family owned markets in the biggest city in America are filled with unimaginable abuse, filth and disease. Thank you to A Show for Change, we are humbled by this award”
Jordan Ehrlich, Director of The Fight to Ban Live Animal Markets
“We’re honored to receive this award from A Show For A Change Film Festival. We created this film for exactly that reason – to create change. For years as a society we've neglected the challenges facing our nation's nursing homes. This contributed to perhaps the greatest tragedy of the pandemic where we've seen almost 120,000 residents and well over a thousand workers in nursing homes lose their lives to COVID-19. Never again should frail seniors and their caretakers face such a desperate catastrophe. Now is the time for us to fix these problems together."
Karen Wolk Feinstein, Executive Producer of What Covid-19 Exposed in Long-Term Care and President and CEO of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation
“Thank you so much for this award! Connect/Disconnect was created by high school students to show other young people that, even during this time of social isolation and uncertainty, you are not alone! We are all connected and find ways to be together, even when we have to be physically apart. We wrote and created our film at the height of the pandemic in a time of great uncertainty. It felt impossible to make, but we believed in our story and in the power of film, and we believe it can bring healing and inspiration during this difficult time. Thank you for spotlighting us! This film festival and award gives us the opportunity to share our film with even more young people. We want you all to know – reach out! You are never alone! Thank you!”
Kandace McGowan, Director of Connect/Disconnect
“I am proud to win an award at your festival featuring social justice and human rights themed films. The art of cinema and meaningful festivals like yours will make a valuable contribution to taking a step on behalf of humanity.”
Mehmet Tığlı, Director of Refuge
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 April 30, 2021 using this link: https://filmfreeway.com/ashowforachange
About A Show For A Change Film Festival
With 500+ global submissions, A Show For A Change has awarded some of the most creative, groundbreaking, and inspiring stories highlighting social issues since launching its monthly festival in December 2017. 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
Instagram: @movikarma
Facebook: @AShowForAChange
Hashtag: #AShowForAChange
###