Hi John,
From now until June 29th, people from all over the world are encouraged to participate in GlobalGiving’s FilmFest. People can cast their votes for videos that make them feel the most connected to an incredible grassroots development project. GlobalGiving gathered raw footage (photos and video) from more than twenty high-impact projects around the world. Film makers used this footage to create compelling and interesting videos that tell the stories of these projects and the people who are helped by the work they do. Each video tells the story of a project from globalgiving.com and will help to connect these amazing projects with the support they need.
Voting will determine which videos do the best job of telling the project’s story. All of the finalists’ videos are available at www.karmatube.org/ff. We are encouraging all of our donors, friends and family to vote. We hope you can help us do the same! The more people who get to know these projects, the more positive change we can create around the world.
We hope you can help us spread the word by mentioning our FilmFest in another blog entry, telling your friends or family to vote, and voting yourself! Thanks for your time!
Check out the videos at www.karmatube.org/ff!
Best Regards,
Elissa Goldenberg
Starring...
Video: India Shining
Anahita Kalianivala... Like most people, I was first attracted to this competition because of the scholarship awards. Paying for college these days is no walk in the park. But a contest like this is beneficial on two fronts: besides the monetary prizes, participants are able to learn about amazing projects that are being organized all over the world. In these times, it's nice to have faith in the good nature of humans and I'm so grateful to have had an opportunity to showcase one group. I chose this project from Tamil Nadu, India because I am of Indian heritage and the movement towards empowerment for women is close to my heart, no matter what country the effort hails from. I hope that through this collection of videos you have learned more about the ways you can make a difference and that you have realized how simple and easy it is to create an everlasting ripple effect.
Kathleen Kastl
Project Featured: Noon Meal Improves Girls' Learning in Burkina Faso
Video: Noon Day Meal
I chose to enter the film contest because I feel it is important to raise awareness about needy causes. Many people in America don't realize the problems in overseas countries. I chose to do Noon Day Meal because I think that meal programs are very important. This simple act can improve learning in most students.
Nikole Lim
Project Featured: Self Sufficiency Store for DEPDC Students
Video: 27 Million Lives to Free
Human trafficking is a worldwide issue which many do not know about. As an Asian American female, my heart reaches out to trafficked victims and I wish to help the many organizations who benefit those who are inhumanely victimized in the sex trade. Filmmaking, in addition to social consciousness, are two of my greatest passions. Through art, I hope to effectively spread awareness about the issues of human trafficking so that others can contribute to DEPDC's cause.
Brandon McCarroll
Project Featured: Pigs: Haitian Bank Accounts
Video: Pigs-Haitian Bank Accounts
I originally read about this contest on fastweb. It grabbed my attention because I'm a film major and always interested in opportunities to create videos. When I went to the GlobalGiving website and started reading about the different charities, I knew it was something I wanted to do. I've always had a heart for the poor, so when I saw an opportunity to put my video skills in a way that could benefit a charity who gives so much to help them, I jumped on it. That is also why I chose the project I did. For several years now, I have been somewhat aware of the extreme poverty that exists in Haiti.
The first time I ever remember hearing about Haiti was from the singer, Geoff Moore. He told a story about when he visited there and a woman with a newborn baby, came up to him sobbing hysterically. She begged him to take her baby back to the United States with him because he would have a better life there. Ever since hearing that, Haiti has been a country that has been synonmous with poverty in my mind. When I started looking at the charities, I knew immediately that I wanted to make a video over an organization in Haiti. I chose the particular one I did because of the huge impact it already seems to be having and the potential it has to do even more. I love that they are not only helping these people in a very tangible way but they are doing it in a way that helps them to get back on their feet permanently. They are truly "teaching them to fish" rather than just giving them fish (or pigs in this case). Hopefully, I conveyed that in my video.
Lauren Pray
Project Featured: 2 for 1: Safe Drinking Water & Planting Trees
Video: Reforestation and Clean Water in Haiti
I am a blanket with ties under my feet, yet shoes are not needed on my head. One person CAN make a difference but with so many ties and obstacles, it's difficult to walk a direction most people are scared to go. This video is an expression of movement to reveal a section of reality. There are blankets that hide a part of Haiti. My head is the theory, and my feet are the action-without them both, you'd be grounded to the floor with no reason. Knowing that even though there are many ties, you still can find the strength to move. The idea of moving and the incentive behind it was what motivated me to go along with creating a film about change. My name is Lauren Pray, I am seventeen years old and am a senior at Clark Montessori. Thank You.
Jenni Rinker
Project Featured: Health & Dignity for 20 Guatemalan Families
Video: Villa Linda
I heard about this competition off of fastweb.com, and I decided to enter because I really like making movies. I've never actually tried to make a film on my own due to lack of time, a frustration with my camera's sound quality, and a lack of funds to buy a nice microphone for my camera. I chose this project in part because it had a fair amount of media to chose from, but also because I took five years of spanish in middle and high school. While I really liked many of the other projects, it was really neat to watch some of the video clips and understand what they were saying.
Christina Rodriguez
Project Featured: Working Teens Educated in Nicaragua
Video: Long Lost: El Poder
When I began interning at the Ford Foundation in the Media, Arts & Culture department, my eyes were opened to the power of film. Thus, I decided to make film a significant part of my career and my life as a whole. Film is such a powerful tool in changing the world. So when I was informed that GlobalGiving was offering a scholarship to change the world, I saw a chance to open the eyes of many to important world issues. The project to help teens in Nicaragua get an education grasped my attention. We all have a human right to learn and grow intellectually. That region of the world has been polluted and struck with poverty and this initiative has the power to create a movement to change lives. I hope to participate in this project and future projects with GlobalGiving.
