MY HERO to Honor Dame Jane Goodall at 2025 Film Festival Awards Ceremony

CONTACT: Jeanne Meyers                                                                                                                                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Co-founder/Director
The MY HERO Project
[email protected]

NOVEMBER 8, 2025 — LAGUNA BEACH, CA 

MY HERO will hold its 21st Annual MY HERO International Film Festival at a virtual ceremony on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 2:00 PM (PST), hosted by activist and longtime friend of MY HERO Eva Haller during her weekly salon series. Eva Haller is a philanthropist, activist, executive, Board Member and friend of MY HERO, and has been a mentor to generations of activists, women in particular.

At this year’s festival MY HERO will honor the late Dame Jane Goodall, a primatologist, anthropologist, and fierce advocate for conservation. Dame Goodall died of natural causes on October 1, 2025, aged ninety-one, at her home in Beverly Hills, California.

On Jane Goodall, Eva Haller shared

[When thinking] about Women Transforming Media, my mind immediately comes to Jane Goodall, a woman who transformed our way of looking at the animal kingdom. The relationship between people and animals. It is a very important moment to look at and be grateful to Jane Goodall, who passed away last week. To remember that she fearlessly entered the jungle and called to, in a sweet, gentle way to the chimpanzees, who slowly walked to her and ended up on her lap.

At the 12^th annual MY HERO International Film Festival, Eva had the idea of establishing an award to inspire and support filmmakers, from elementary school to the professional level, who create outstanding work that features women changemakers or tackles women's issues. Hence The Eva Haller Women Transforming Media Award was established.

“Women Transforming Media is a lovely expression. Women transform everything, not just the media,” said Haller. “They transform themselves, the ones whom they love, their children, their education, and are responsible for more than fifty percent of humans in this world.”

If you would like to attend this year’s Film Festival Awards Ceremony, and join us in honoring the late, great Jane Goodall, please note that reservations are required — once you register, you’ll receive the Zoom link(s) to attend. There is no fee to attend, though donation-based reservations are gratefully accepted. 

To request an invitation, send your name and email address to [email protected].

Past festival winners can be viewed on the MY HERO website: myhero.com/winners. The festival is part of The MY HERO Project, a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to celebrate the world’s heroes through stories, short films, music, and art. For more information, visit MY HERO’s award-winning website www.myhero.com.