MY HERO NAMES FINALISTS FOR THE 2023 DAN ELDON ACTIVIST AWARD

Dan Eldon Activist AwardMY HERO

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Wendy MIlette
Director - The MY HERO International Film Festival
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MY HERO NAMES FINALISTS FOR THE 2023 DAN ELDON ACTIVIST AWARD

OCTOBER 12, 2023 – LAGUNA BEACH, CA –  Dan Eldon was an artist, a photojournalist and an activist. He was killed, in 1993, while on assignment for Reuters News Service in Somalia. His mother Kathy Eldon, and his sister Amy Turteltaub Eldon, honor his life and memory each year with the Dan Eldon Activist Award. The two present the annual award at The MY HERO International Film Festival. 

Kathy Eldon is founder of Creative Visions Foundation — a nonprofit organization with a mission to support, amplify and promote the work of creative activists, who foster positive change through storytelling, impact media, technology and art education. The Dan Eldon Activist Award comes with a $500 cash prize to support the work of creative activists. 

This year, there are five finalists for The Dan Eldon Activist Award:

Trash CountsNOAA Ocean Today 

Trash Counts, by NOAA Ocean Today, features a citizen science project that is making a difference, one data entry at a time.

Down the RoadCare Dorghalli 

Down the Road, by Care Dorghalli, is an excerpt about a film featuring Woody and Luna, who generously help people in need after the Paradise fire.

Ministry of SurfCollins Reagan 

Ministry of Surf, by Collins Reagan is a film about surfers who offer children with autism "one perfect day" in the surf.

Art as a Tool for Social ChangeEmmanuel Mushy, and Nazir Atul 

Art as a Tool for Social Change, by Emmanuel Mushy, and Nazir Atul, is based in Dar Es Salaam region of Tunisia, where their “artivism” receives social and cultural support.

Dante's ParadiseOsseily Hanna 

Dante’s Paradise , by Osseily Hanna, is a trailer from a film that tells how Dante helps the planet by raising butterflies.

There are also four High School Filmmaker Finalists: 

In PB&J Productions My Hero, by Shelby Dahl from Grover Cleveland Charter High School, Savannah Ackerman shares the impact of Tree People.

Bettering Our Corner of the World, by Ryan Tarletsky from Maize Career Academy, is a film about The Maize Solar initiative.

Our Energy: A Student Documentary, by Mayu Simpson and Shayna Blum, is an environmental that addresses the issue of excessive energy use and the hope for its conservation.

Kateryna Yushchenko: Effects of the War in Ukraine, by Logan Montalbano and Ethan Sung from New Roads School, is a film in which the former first lady of Ukraine explores the impact of the war in her country on everyday people.

About the MY HERO International Film Festival:
The My Hero Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to showcasing films that celebrate the power of the human spirit. Hosted by Eva Haller, a prominent philanthropist and advocate for social change, the festival provides a platform for filmmakers to share inspirational stories of everyday heroes. The festival aims to inspire audiences to recognize the heroism in their own lives and encourage positive actions in their communities. Learn more.