FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Global Social Change Film Festival & Institute
http://www.socialchangefilmfestival.org
Contact: Colleen Mihal
Email: colleen@socialchangefilmfestival.org

June 29, 2011

2012 Global Social Change Film Festival Call for Submissions

The Global Social Change Film Festival announces its call for submissions for the 2nd Annual GSCFFI scheduled for April 2012 in New Orleans, LA. The GSCFFI seeks global narrative features and short films that engage with significant global social and environmental issues in unique, creative, educational, and action-inspiring ways. The theme for GSCFFI 2012 is “water” and films tackling water-related issues will be featured; however, selected films will not be limited to the theme. Submit your social change film now!

The Global Social Change Film Festival celebrates the independent spirit of excellent filmmaking and creative storytelling. The GSCFFI is looking for films that generate dialogue, spark policy change, and/or activate communities around key social issues of our times. Selected films will represent a diversity of perspectives from all over the world.

The first submission deadline is October 15, 2011. Subsequent deadlines are posted on the GSCFFI website. Films are judged for strong social change message, educational content and originality, technical skill and creativity, sophisticated narrative structure, and ability to inspire action, propose solutions, and engage communities.

The theme of water was chosen to draw attention to the environmental, social, and political issues surrounding water globally. For example, Water.org and Charity: Water, two solutions oriented organizations working onglobal water issues, cite lack of access to clean water as killing more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.

GSCFFI Director Cynthia Phillips, who received her PhD in agricultural economics, states, “GSCFFI selected Water as its 2012 theme to raise awareness and create spaces and platforms for education and engagement on critical issues and solutions.” Phillips continues, “Our plans for 2011/2012 include a symposium on Water Issues and Solutions as well as a 60-second video contest on water.”

What better place to explore water-related issues than in New Orleans, a city with a long, intimate, and complex relationship with water. “We thrilled to be in New Orleans for 2012,” states Phillips. “New Orleans is a city rich in culture and the arts and her people are bright spirits inspiring the world with their resilience and commitment to community,” Phillips continues. “The city and region has been heavy hit with natural and man-made disasters and faces many challenges especially related to water and this is why GSCFFI sees New Orleans as a perfect showcase for social change films and a springboard for social action in 2012.”

In addition to selected films, the Global Social Change Film Festival includes documentary filmmaking courses, cutting-edge workshops, and thought-provoking panels, creating a transformative space for social changedialogue, artistic expression, and movement building. The first Global Social Change Film Festival took place April 13-17 in Ubud, Bali Indonesia. The theme for the GSCFFI 2011 was “Women and Film” with Filmmaker Honoree Nia Dinata.

Please visit http://www.socialchangefilmfestival.org/the-film-festival/film-submissions/ to submit your filmand to learn more about the requirements. Email at entries@socialchangefilmfestival.org with any questions.

# # #

If you’d like more information on GSCFFI (http://www.socialchangefilmfestival.org/) or like to interview Director Cynthia Phillips, email colleen@socialchangefilmfestival.org.

Get involved and join the conversation! Visit us online at http://scffi.tumblr.com andhttp://facebook.com/socialchangefilmfestival.