CONTACT: WENDY MILETTE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
949-376-5964
PLEASE JOIN MY HERO FOR OUR 12TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL & MULTIMEDIA AWARDS CEREMONY!
SANTA MONICA, CA - 09/17/16 - The MY HERO International Film Festival brings together filmmakers of all ages and levels of experience to honor the efforts of everyday heroes working to create social change.
Join us for the Multimedia Awards Ceremony on Saturday, November 19th, and meet the inspiring filmmakers who are changing our world. Winning films will be screened on November 18th at the Herb Alpert Educational Village at New Roads School in Santa Monica. Details and screening times will be announced in the fall.
Saturday, November 19th, 2016
• Afternoon Program: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM PST
• Reception: 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM PST
• Awards Ceremony: 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM PST
Ann and Jerry Moss Theater
Herb Alpert Educational Village
Capshaw-Spielberg Center for Educational Justice
Our Host is Kayla Briët, a 19 year-old self-taught filmmaker, composer, musician, performer, and media producer. Her short films have taken her to the White House for the 2014 First-Ever White House Film Festival, where she was invited to meet President Barack Obama, Bill Nye, and Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and others.
SPECIAL HONOREES INCLUDE:
Esther Wojcicki – Global Educator Award
Esther Wojcicki is a pioneer who believes that students deserve to be in charge of their own learning. Her book, “Moonshots in Education: Blended Learning in the Classroom,” provides an important platform for a global education movement to improve teaching and learning around the world.
Eva Haller - Women Transforming Media Honoree
When Nazis invaded her native Hungary in World War II, 12-year-old Eva Haller convinced a soldier to spare her life because she was, “too young and too beautiful to die.” Today, she leads delegations to the United Nations and helps shape non-profits that support women around the world.
Trey Carlisle - Emerging Artist Award
In the 8th grade, Trey Carlisle made a vow to fight injustice by telling important stories. Over the past four years, he has produced award-winning documentaries that speak out against violence and discrimination. He is a passionate voice for positive change in the world.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS:
Ron Kovic, author, artist and peace activist, will present the 2016 Ron Kovic Peace Prize to a filmmaker whose work explores the concept of peace. Kevin is a former U.S. Marine sergeant who was paralyzed from the mid-chest down during his second tour of duty in the Vietnam War. Upon returning home, he became a respected spokesperson for the anti-war movement. He addressed the Democratic National Convention in 1976, spoke at the Kennedy Center Honors Ceremony in 2009 and served as a member of the Council for Dignity, Forgiveness and Reconciliation in 2010.
Kathy Eldon, author, activist and founder of Creative Visions Foundation will present the award in honor of her late son Dan Eldon, a photojournalist who was killed in 1993 while on assignment in Somalia. The Dan Eldon Activist Award is a $500 prize given to the filmmaker who best uses media to effect positive change. Dan Eldon was a passionate activist and artist, fearless in his quest to tell stories that people could not tell for themselves. His work has appeared in art journals and exhibitions and serves as an inspiration for people around the world.
John Seigel Boettner, educator and founder of the Santa Barbara Middle School Teen Press will offer a new award this year. The TEEN PRESS Award comes with a $500 cash prize and will be awarded to a hero-themed journalistic story created by a youth reporter. From their home base in Santa Barbara, the Teen Press has covered stories that include the inauguration of President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C., the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco, and the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.
Judy Anderson, MY HERO Boardmember and President of the Foundation for the Contemporary Family will present the Relationships First Award, a $1,500 cash prize for a short film that creatively depicts the heartfelt connections found in any type of contemporary family relationship.
The Robert Shetterly Award is a $500 cash prize to honor a work of art that illustrates a hero. The award is presented by Americans Who Tell the Truth, in honor of artist Robert Shetterly, the organization’s founder. Shetterly will select the winning artist from the nominated finalists
Guitars in the Classroom and The MY HERO Project will announce the winners of the MY HERO Song Contest. Prizes are awarded songs that celebrate heroes. Divisions include Student, Teacher, Mentor and Professionals and there are categories for Songs that Honor Local and Global Heroes.
MY HERO AWARDS:
The VR FOR GOOD Award honors a Virtual Reality Experience that uses this new technology to promote positive social change.
The People’s Choice Award winner is determined with help from students around the world. Classes from 197 countries have been invited to help select the winner through an online ballot. The People’s choice ballot includes a teacher's guide for using this powerful resource in the classroom. Myhero.com/peopleschoice
Winners will be featured on the MY HERO website, to be enjoyed by a global audience. Myhero.com/winners
The festival is part of The MY HERO Project, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to sharing stories of heroes from all parts of the world. MY HERO's award winning web site (www.myhero.com) hosts the world's largest archive of hero themed stories, music, art and short films. To learn more about The MY HERO International Film Festival, email Wendy Milette at [email protected] or click HERE.
To view a slideshow and learn more about MY HERO, click here.
Page created on 8/19/2016 4:30:13 PM
Last edited 11/14/2018 10:49:33 PM
