The 20th MY HERO Film Festival Awards Ceremony

The 20^th MY HERO Film Festival Awards Ceremony was held on November 16th, 2024 in Santa Monica at the Ann & Jerry Moss Theater at New Roads School. The ceremony was hosted and opened by Gabrielle Gorman, an advocate for international human rights, who has been affiliated with MY HERO since 2017 when she was a student at New Road School.

Wendy Milette (Film Festival Director) and Gabriell GormanMYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHY

Said Gorman:

It’s thrilling to return. In these uncertain times, I hope tonight fosters unity and reminds us of how much we share.  Through these award-winning films, you'll see that efforts for good are never wasted. Change takes time, but as my favorite gospel song says, ‘We Shall Overcome.’ For 20 years, we’ve celebrated heroes and filmmakers dedicated to building a better world. Tonight, you will be inspired by remarkable short films that spotlight wellness, social justice, environmental stewardship, humanitarianism, creativity, and a shared passion for progress. Submissions came from across the globe, honoring heroes from all walks of life. Tonight, we’ll watch clips from the winning films, and you can view the full versions at MyHero.com/winners.

The first Award, the MY HERO Media Award 2024, was presented to Goldie Hawn and Tiffany Shlain’s for their short documentary The Teen Brain. Said Gorman:

We'd like to acknowledge the film's executive producer, Goldie Hawn. Her organization, Mind Up, which has been recognized by the CDC for its effective mental health initiatives in schools, promoting self-regulation and emotional awareness to foster a more compassionate future. We're also thrilled to celebrate Tiffany Lane, director of The Teen Brain, a long time my hero festival participant and past winner, honored by Newsweek as one of the women shaping the 21st century.

Goldie Hawn filmed a pre-recorded message stating:

It was great doing the project with The Teen Brain. I mean, it was really something I always wanted to do because kids don't know what's going on in their brain when they're teenagers. And it's kind of a crazy time. I thought it would be great to have basically a short little video, 10 minutes that really shows how these children can behave, understanding more about what's really going on in that brain of theirs. Thank you so much for this award, and I honor you for all that you're doing for others.

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHYTiffany Shlain

Tiffany Shlain attended the ceremony to accept the award and expressed her gratitude, stating:

I'm so happy to be here. And this is such a beautiful community. I have been honored here for several different projects. And each time I come, I'm just reminded how good it is to be in a theater with people who care about truth and a better world and finding heroes and mentors and mentoring others… mentorship is just such a beautiful and important thing. And that's something that any one of us can do. Any one of us can reach out to someone that we believe in and offer more support and tell them, I am your mentor. We've never actually said that word, but that's how I feel to you. So, I think MY HERO exemplifies all of that. It's looking for heroes. It's mentoring. It's being a mentor…The Teen Brain is really about this film is made for teens to empower them to know about what's happening in their brain. And really, we're so honored to get this award and to be here with all of you.

Other highlights included the presentation of the Ron Kovic^[i] Peace Prize to USC student Dima Puchkarev for his film Grillo. Grillo follows the story of David “Grillo” Amodio, a man shaped by gang violence, addiction, and incarceration in East L.A. Through candid reflections, David narrates his journey from a troubled youth to repeated run-ins with the law. With the support of Homeboy Industries and Father Greg Boyle, he seeks redemption and transformation. In attendance were Ron, Dima and David. Ron addressed the audience, expressing gratitude for their attendance and acknowledging the challenging times ahead. He emphasized that as citizens, they could find inspiration in the film’s message - that the impossible can be made possible. He shared that Father Boyle, whom the film honors, was unable to attend but sent his ‘very best.’

Wendy Milette (Film Festival Director) and Gabriell GormanMYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHY

Kovic commended David for his remarkable courage and long, difficult journey to be present, calling him his hero of the evening. He also highlighted the important work being done by heroes in Los Angeles, including Father Boyle and Homeboy Industries. David (Grillo) explained how Homeboy Industries helps people redirect their lives - by offering education, work skills, and the belief that they are valuable so that they can give back to the community.

Ron thanked Jeanne Meyers and Wendy Milette for all their hard work over the past 20 years and finished with an impassioned speech to the audience where he urged everyone to cherish and protect their democracy, emphasizing the importance of exercising their rights as citizens, including the right to speak out, assemble peacefully, and raise their voices when necessary. He reminded the audience that the true power of the nation lies with its people and called for courage and unity to honor the sacrifices made for this precious democracy.

Kathy Eldon and Grandson Daniel Eldon Turteltaub presented the 2024 Dan Eldon^[ii] Activist Award. This year, there are 2 winners: When The Devil Smoked in Paradise and Ambassadors of Hope. When The Devil Smoked in Paradise, directed by Katherine Liao, is a short documentary that details a grassroots campaign by residents from Liao’s hometown, Irvine in central Orange County, against All American Asphalt’s large plant in the center of the city, which was emitting dangerous chemicals into the atmosphere. The film also won a WOJ Youth Reporter Award, BEST of FEST, and the High School Documentary category. (More later).

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHYKathy Eldon

Said Kathy, “I'm so proud to be able to give these awards. Katherine Liao…is winning the Dan Eldon Youth Activist Award. She's 16 years old and it's awesome. Wait till you see it…it's so good. It's got a brilliant title, too. We're just honored, Katherine.”

Daniel presented Cassidy Friedman and Amber Allen-Peirson with the 2024 Dan Elden Activist Award for their film Ambassadors of Hope. Said Daniel, “This powerful film … exemplifies the spirit of activism and creative courage that my Uncle Dan embodied through the lens of Harambee Arts. The film introduces us to Samson, a remarkable mentor from Kibera who uses art as a lifeline for children navigating unimaginable challenges.”

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHYDaniel Eldon Turteltaub

Daniel told the audience how his uncle Dan was a frequent visitor to Kibera, one of Kenya's largest informal settlements, to see his school friend Etna, a scholarship student and the daughter of a baker. At just 16, Daniel learned that Etna urgently needed a heart operation. With the help of his friends and his 12-year-old sister Amy, he raised enough money to fund the life-saving surgery. Stated Daniel:

My Uncle Dan is my hero. As in the film's hero, Samson, who demonstrates the transformative power of creative expression to bring people together and give them hope for the future. I hope one day to visit the project myself and say thank you to Samson in person. But today, on behalf of the My Hero Project and the Alvin family, we congratulate Ambassadors of Hope for its profound impact and celebrate its dedication to uplifting humanity through storytelling.

Cassidy Friedman Gloria Simoneaux (of Harambee Arts) and Amber Allen-Peirson MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHY

On accepting the award, Cassidy invited Gloria Simoneaux, the founder and the visionary behind Harambee Arts, to accept the award alongside himself and co-director Amber Allen-Peirson and implored: “To all of you who are creatives, who are storytellers, who are looking for heroes, don't just look at the people you know…look to each other and look to the quiet people, the people who are just doing it, who aren't self-celebrating, who aren't looking for the attention because that's who Samson is and it's who Gloria is.”

Eva Haller is a philanthropist, an activist, a MY HERO board member and a mentor to generations. She’s a Holocaust survivor who lost her older brother in the war and vowed to spend her life helping people to honor his memory. Many individuals and organizations have benefited from that vow — Women for Women International, Asian Initiatives, Free the Children and the Jane Goodall Institute are only a few. 

Each year, Haller sponsors the Women Transforming Media Award (WTM) . She established the award to inspire and support filmmakers whose work features women changemakers or women’s issues and has expanded the contest to include an award for students, from elementary school to college, as well as for professional filmmakers. This year, chose three winners: The documentary ‘Daga - A Woman’s Fight to Empower Girls in her Village’ directed by Fama Ndiaye of Alarba Film with Executive Producers: Sky Dylan-Robbins & Gabriel Diamond.

The film focuses on Daga Baldé from southern Senegal. Daga is a local leader in her community who is a passionate advocate for girls’ and women’s education. Her story exemplifies Tostan’s mission to foster community-driven learning and leadership. This transformation was captured by the Skoll Foundation’s Solutions Storytelling Project.

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHYGabriel Diamond

Gabriel Diamond graciously accepted the award, thanking Eva for recognizing the Solutions Storytelling Project. He shared that, in the past year alone, the initiative collaborated with 19 filmmakers from across Africa, connecting them with impactful local organizations such as Tostan. Highlighting one of these collaborations, Diamond remarked, “Daga is a powerful example of local people addressing and solving deeply complex, thorny problems within their communities.”

Eva expressed her regrets at not being able to attend in person but extended her heartfelt gratitude stating that she feels deeply honored to have had the privilege of experiencing the remarkable films that celebrate the strength and resilience of women over the past eight years as part of this award. She is profoundly inspired by the exceptional quality of the work, the powerful focus on social activism, and the extraordinary heroism of women from around the globe whom she has come to know through these stories. Eva expresses her sincere thanks to the MY HERO Project for providing this incredible opportunity to engage with these films and connect with such a vibrant and inspiring global learning community.

This year, thanks to Eva Haller, winning filmmakers will receive a solar light called Luke's Light, created by the nonprofit organization Unite to Light.

Her Voice directed by Carletta S. Hurt and Sunnye C. Durham of IKAM Productions won the Eva Haller Women Transforming Media Award – Narrative. In this short film, journalism student Gwendolyn struggles to choose a historical figure as the focus of a high school homework assignment. When her grandmother steps in to help, Gwendolyn takes an unexpected journey through history to meet Charlayne Hunter-Gault.

Said the producer of the film, “Charlayne, being the first black woman to attend UGA, went through so much and we wanted to honor her perseverance. We wanted to honor her dedication to her craft and her work, which is why, you know, we do what we do every day as filmmakers, as just humans in general, trying to make a change in this world…we're so honored (to receive the award). The team, they're not here, but they send their love. And thank you so much.”

Joy Buolamwini , a short documentary by Ascot Avenue Elementary School student Abbigail Mira won the Eva Haller WTM Student Award (and a WOJ Youth Reporter Award Elementary). The film was created as part of the MY HERO Media Arts Education program at Ascot Elementary in Los Angeles.

Tige Charity founder of the charity Kids in the Spotlight (KITS) was honored with a Special MY HERO Award. She thanked MY HERO for the honor, stating: “It's always very humbling to receive an award just for doing what God called you to do. I'm just so grateful tonight for being here, so grateful to be able to provide a platform and an outlet for our young people to tell their stories their way.”

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHYTige Charity

As the organization began to grow, Tige emphasized its expanding mission—not only providing an outlet for young people to tell their stories but also offering workforce development and opportunities to help them build meaningful careers in the entertainment industry. She admitted that this growth stretched the organization beyond its initial capacity, presenting significant challenges. However, Tige noted that the decision to remain obedient to their mission was more important than giving up when the journey became difficult. Despite the hardships, they persevered, driven by the unwavering belief of their donors, team members, supporters, and the young people who placed their trust in them. While the challenges persist, their dedication remains steadfast. Concluded Tige:

We are determined to make sure that every youth that we encounter, every youth that we connect, that we make sure that they shine. And sometimes when the light gets dim, we are committed to turning up the light to shine even brighter. So thank you all again for honoring us, for honoring our young people. We are so very grateful.

This year, many films were submitted from Kids in the Spotlight. Particularly noteworthy were Brendan Brodie’s Run which won first place in the student mentor narrative category and System Failure, directed by Robert Munich who won a WOJ Award (more below).

The 2024 Media Arts Spotlight Award was presented to Second Nurture[iii], specifically for their film She is Us. Director, Samara Hutman accepted the award saying how she has attended these events for two decades, consistently finding inspiration year after year. She expressed deep gratitude to Jeannie, Wendy, the entire team behind the festival, and the funders whose efforts and generosity make it all possible. Reflecting on the evening’s events, Samara shared how many, herself included, walked in feeling fragile, uncertain, or in need of inspiration. Yet, after experiencing the collective creativity and resilience showcased, she felt profoundly changed and uplifted.

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHYSamara Hutman, C. Lily Ericsson, Judge Armsted and team

Judge Songhai Armstead expressed heartfelt gratitude for the recognition of the film and the remarkable youth who contributed to it. She reflected on the power of storytelling, emphasizing how sharing personal experiences can remind us that we are not alone in our journeys. Although feeling overwhelmed by recent events, including the election, Judge Armstead shared how being surrounded by purpose-driven individuals renews her hope and strength. She highlighted the importance of remaining open to recognizing the divine fingerprints in all aspects of life, recounting her experience watching films that resonated deeply with her on a personal level. Judge Armstead also shared her work establishing a new department in Los Angeles County following her departure from the bench. Funded by Measure J, now known as the Care First Community Investment, the initiative allocates $300 million annually to community-based organizations focusing on prevention, diversion, and re-entry programs. She noted partnerships with organizations like Homeboy Industries and Kids in the Spotlight.

Next, a special Tribute to Wendy Milette who is retiring this year. The dedication concluded by summarizing Wendy’s past 20 years of work:

Through the film festival, Wendy has helped build MY HERO’s robust film library, a free online resource containing thousands of hero-themed films from over 194 countries...She is loved and admired by her family, friends and colleagues at the MY HERO Project. We are so grateful to Wendy, her kind and compassionate leadership. She has touched the lives of so many through her teaching and empowered young people to spread messages of hope and in the process become participants in changing the world. Thank you, Wendy Milette, for 20 years of diligently serving the MY HERO Project.

Wendy thanked all the filmmakers, young and old, stating that she always feels more hopeful about the world when she watches their films. She went to thank the Scripps Family Impact Fund for their generous grant, which helped fund the Film Festival this year and introduced Molly McCabe, a representative of the foundation.  She shared her pride in being the great-great-granddaughter of Edward W. Scripps, who founded a nationwide penny newspaper network to make journalism accessible to the average American. His commitment to informed citizenship and generosity, shared with his sister Ellen Browning Scripps, resulted in lifetime donations equivalent to $4 billion today—a legacy that continues through their descendants.

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHYMolly McCabe

Molly highlighted the Scripps Family Impact Fund's decision to focus on journalism and nonprofit arts last year, a process that introduced them to many inspiring organizations nationwide. Among them, the MY HERO Project stood out for its dedication to ‘noble service and impactful work.’ The fund awarded a significant grant of over $536,000 to strengthen and expand MY HERO's programs. Molly expressed her honor in being part of that decision and her excitement at witnessing the project's far-reaching, transformative potential in person.

Wendy continued by thanking all the people that make the festivals a reality including Molly McCabe and The Scripps Family Impact Fund, The Seedlings Foundation, Renée Edelman, The Max Factor Family Foundation and MY HERO's Co-founders: Rita Stern Milch, Karen Pritzker and Jeanne Meyers.

American author, global educator, vice chair of the Creative Commons board of directors, and long-time friend of MY HERO Esther "Woj" Wojcicki attended to celebrate the four winners of the 2024 WOJ Youth Reporter Award. The award celebrates youth reporters who are creating videos on heroes making a positive difference in their community and the world.

The recipients of the award were: When the Devil Smoked in Paradise by Katherine Liao (High School Documentary), System Failure by Robert Munic (High School Narrative), Sustainability? By Finn Dewitt (Middle School Documentary), and Joy Buolamwini by Abbigail Mira (Elementary School Documentary). Both Katherine Liao and Abbigail Mira were able to attend the ceremony to accept their awards, along with Ascot Avenue Elementary Principal Dr. Gustavo Ortiz and MY HERO Media Arts expert Frank Guttler; both of whom are a part the MY HERO Media Arts Education program at Ascot Elementary, where Mira created her film.

Both Guttler and Dr. Ortiz spoke about the need for organizations like MY HERO. Said Dr. Ortiz:

MY HERO brings an opportunity for children like Abigail to see hope. Especially after last week, you know, to see that that they could be the next president. I feel like MY HERO is needed today more than ever, not only in L.A. and the United States, but all over the world. Right? We need real life heroes to be in the schools and in our neighborhoods.

Abbigail Mira, Frank Guttler, and Dr. Ortiz

Myron McClure Photography/The MY HERO Project

Wojcicki made a speech before the WOJ Awards were presented, in which she outlined her journey as a global educator focused on empowering young people. When she first began teaching, Wojcicki created a program for students to collaborate on a student newspaper. Over the years, as the program grew, Wojcicki added more and more publications and classes to the program until it became one of the largest media student programs in the world. “I'm trying to empower as many [kids] as possible,” Wojcicki explained, adding, “I want to give these kids a voice and I think video is really the way to do it. It teaches kids to think, teaches them to use digital tools… Video is the 21st century.” On the MY HERO Film Festival, Wojcicki said:

I've been really inspired by everything I've seen tonight. You know I came here, I guess probably with a lot of you all feeling the same way, depressed about what's happening in this country and depressed about what's going to happen for our young people. And I must say that I'm so happy I came for this because it gives me so much hope for the future. Thank you to all of you for this amazing presentation. It's just incredible.

Wojcicki also congratulated Katherine Liao, whose film also won the BEST of FEST Award, Dan Eldon Youth Activist Award, and the High School Documentary category:

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHYEsther Wojcicki congratulates Katherine Liao

Said Esther:

I want to congratulate everybody and especially this incredible young woman. I could not believe her video. I had to look at it several times: When the Devil Smoked in Paradise. You're amazing and [need to] be recognized for your incredible work. It's incredible. And so, I want to congratulate all these incredible young people again. You're amazing. You're inspiring.

The ceremony finished with a joyous musical performance of ‘We Are Family’ by Stu Pearlman, Cydney Wayne Davis and friends along with the featured heroes, the awardees, the MY HERO team and the MY HERO sponsors.

MYRON MCCLURE PHOTOGRAPHY'We Are Family'

The MY HERO International Film Festival continues on December 11th with more screenings of winning films at the Rivian South Coast Theater in Laguna Beach, CA. Reservations are required.

[i] Ronald Lawrence Kovic (born July 4, 1946) is an American anti-war activist, author, and United States Marine Corps sergeant who was wounded and paralyzed in the Vietnam War. His best-selling 1976 memoir Born on the Fourth of July was made into the film of the same name which starred actor Tom Cruise as Kovic, and was co-written by Kovic and directed by Oliver Stone

[ii] Dan Eldon was a fearless activist, artist, and photojournalist who dedicated his life to telling the untold stories and helping those in need. His work appeared in art journals and exhibitions, inspiring countless individuals globally. In his honor, Kathy Eldon and Dan's sister Amy Eldon Turteltaub of the Creative Visions Foundation established this award to celebrate Dan’s legacy and creative spirit. 

[iii] Second Nurture creates circles of compassion and support for foster families so that they are held, resilient and successful—and kids have the loving, ‘growthful’ relationships and resources they need to thrive.