Media That Matters Film Festival

About this original series

The Media That Matters Film Festival is the premiere showcase for short films on the most important topics of the day. Local and global, online and in communities around the world, Media That Matters engages diverse audiences and inspires them to take action.From gay rights to global warming, the jury-selected collection represents the work of a diverse group of independent filmmakers, many of whom are under 21. The films are equally diverse in style and content, with documentaries, music videos, animations, experimental work and everything else in between. What all the films have in common is that they spark debate and action in 12 minutes or less.Every June, Media That Matters presents a new collection of twelve shorts. The festival launches in New York City with a World Premiere at the IFC Center and an Awards Ceremony at HBO where every filmmaker is honored and many receive cash awards sponsored by major foundations and corporations. Previous presenters include Tim Robbins, Al Franken, David Cross, Woody Harrelson, Barbara Kopple and Peter Yarrow. The festival launch also includes the Media as a Tool for Social Change Workshop, a unique convening of filmmakers, educators, activists, nonprofits and youth.The June launch events are just the beginning of a jam-packed year of Media That Matters. The films stream online in their entirety, broadcast nationally and are distributed on DVD to educators and activists. Media That Matters reaches thousands through community screenings around the country. From classrooms to board rooms, movie theatres to home theatres, hundreds of events take place throughout the year. Arts Engine staff produce and attend many screenings, while many more are organized by individuals committed to change. We provide everything you need to host your own event, and we invite you to contact us for support in bringing Media That Matters to your neck of the woods.An image captures a feeling, A story shares a message, A movie becomes a movement.

  • # Episodes

    65 episodes
  • Rating

    TV-UN

Episodes of Media That Matters Film Festival

      • Release date
        Jun 12, 2008
      • Runtime
        00:39
    • Every Third Bite

      Directed & Produced by The Meerkat Media Collective More About Every Third Bite from the Meerkat Media Collective Two years ago, honeybees started to disappear. About one in every three colonies left their hives but never came home. We set out to discover what was plaguing these hives and learned how non-commercial beekeepers care for and keep healthy bees alive. Bees are responsible for pollinating every third bite of food we eat. And we are losing millions of bees each year to a mysterious d...

      • Release date
        Jun 12, 2008
      • Runtime
        09:07
    • E-Waste

      Animated by Ian Lynam, Directed & Produced by Morgan Currie & Lindsay Utz, GOOD Magazine More About E-Waste from Director & Producers at GOOD MagazineIf the transition from 386 to 486 resonates loudly in your heartstrings, then you have some idea of how far we’ve come the past fifteen years or so. Of course, the seemingly exponential acceleration of tech improvements presents a fair share of problems — problems that extend beyond your feelings of inadequacy that can’t be quelled until you get ...

      • Release date
        Jun 12, 2008
      • Runtime
        01:55
    • America for Dummies

      Directed by Niaz Mosharraf, Produced by Reel Works Teen Filmmaking More About America for Dummies from Director Niaz MosharrafWitnessing and experiencing the apathy and ignorance of American youth towards the world and the people that govern it has become an astonishing aspect of the “American Lifestyle.” Growing up in a third world country, traveling the world and really seeing both sides of the picture made me question the capability of the future leaders of our world.America for Dummies is ...

      • Release date
        Jun 12, 2008
      • Runtime
        08:31
    • A Nomad's Life

      Directed & Produced by Lynn True & Nelson Walker, Co-Produced by Tsering Perlo & Keefe Murren More About A Nomad’s Life from Director Lynn TrueA Nomad’s Life was conceived as part of the Kham Film Project, an association of American and Tibetan filmmakers working together to improve the quality and diversity of knowledge about Tibet by engaging Tibetans in the creation of documentary films. In making A Nomad’s Life, Nelson Walker and I partnered with Rabsal, a local Tibetan NGO dedicated to us...

      • Release date
        Jun 12, 2008
      • Runtime
        09:38
    • Something's Moving

      Directed by Randy Vasquez, Produced by Jonathan Skurnik More About Something’s Moving from Director Randy VasquezImagine being taken from your family before the age of seven and sent to live in a cavernous dormitory where you are beaten for speaking the only language you know. This massive, but tragically failed effort to assimilate American Indians was US government policy until the 1970s. Something’s Moving explores the reality and legacy of American Indian boarding schools through the voice...

      • Release date
        Jun 12, 2008
      • Runtime
        07:29
    • African Underground: Hip Hop in Senegal

      Directed by Magee McIlvaine, Ben Herson, Chris Moore, Produced by Nomadic Wax and Sol Productions More About African Underground: Hip Hop in Senegal from Director Ben HersonI was inspired to make this film when I was writing my thesis in college about the role of Hip Hop in the 2000 presidential election and the positive impact that young people had on creating non-violent peaceful change in their country. The story inspired me to start Nomadic Wax - a global Hip Hop record label and film/even...

      • Release date
        Jun 12, 2008
      • Runtime
        06:30
    • The Countdown

      Directed by Rene Dongo, Produced by ICA Fast Forward BostonMore About The Countdown from Director Rene DongoThe Countdown is a collaboration that had been in the works ever since Sofia Snow and I met. We have been friends since taking the bus home together in the 3rd grade. Since giving her The Spoken Word Revolution for her birthday, Sofia has come to every screening of my first short films. We are friends who have supported each other through the years, but it wasn’t until our senior year th...

      • Release date
        Jun 12, 2008
      • Runtime
        06:04
    • Diana

      Directed and Produced by Project: Think Different More About Diana from Director Brynmore WilliamsWe were approached by MTV to help create a documentary special about young people affected by HIV. What we quickly learned is that in 2006, very few young people were even educated about HIV.Diana is a young woman living with HIV. A mother of two, powerful advocate and activist, sister, friend and fighter for people’s rights, Diana’s story is one of many in a world where HIV has been a reality for...

      • Release date
        Jun 12, 2008
      • Runtime
        07:09
    • Perversion of Justice

      Directed & Produced by Melissa MummertMore About Perversion of Justice from Director Melissa MummertI worked as a chaplain intern at a federal prison for women. My job was to roam around the sprawling prison compound and listen to the inmates’ stories. Women told me about their long sentences for drug conspiracy offenses. They told me that they were serving ten years, twenty years or even life sentences for their minor involvement in drug related crimes. I saw pictures of these women’s childre...

      • Release date
        Jun 12, 2008
      • Runtime
        08:00
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