Select Stories from 2024 Film Festival

Meet our Film Festival Director, Wendy Milette

Celebrating MY HERO's Film Festival Director, Wendy Milette

By: Abigail Richardson

Celebrating MY HERO's International Film Festival Director, Wendy Milette

Film Festival Ceremony

The 20th MY HERO Film Festival Awards Ceremony

By: Abigail Richardson

The 20th MY HERO Film Festival Awards Ceremony held on November 16th, 2024 in Santa Monica at the Ann & Jerry Moss Theater at New Roads School.

Interviews with Filmmakers at the 20th MY HERO Film Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

Santos Herrera interviewed several filmmakers at the 20th Film Festival about their perspectives on MY HERO and their advice for aspiring filmmakers.

MY HERO Global Educator Award

2024 MY HERO Global Educator Award

By: Abigail Richardson

MY HERO presents the 2024 Global Educator Award to MacGillivray-Freeman Films for their recent film Superhuman Body: World of Medical Marvels.

Superhuman Body - Behind the Scenes

By: Greg and Shaun MacGillivray

Superhuman Body shows the extraordinary ways our bodies work, and how science and technology help us to intervene when things go wrong.

MY HERO Media Educator Award

Goldie Hawn and Tiffany Shlain Win Media Award

By: Abigail Richardson

The MY HERO Project is thrilled to announce that Goldie Hawn and renowned filmmaker Tiffany Shlain will be honored with the 2024 Media Award at The 20th Annual MY HERO International Film Festival for their documentary "The Teen Brain".

Tiffany Shlain Receives Media Award

By: Abigail Richardson

The MY HERO Media Award 2024 was presented to Tiffany Shlain and Goldie Hawn for their short documentary 'The Teen Brain.'

Presentations from MY HERO Sponsors

The Ron Kovic Peace Prize 2024

By: Abigail Richardson

The presentation of the Ron Kovic Peace Prize to USC student Dima Puchkarev for his film 'Grillo'.

The Women Transforming Media Awards 2024

By: Abigail Richardson

The presentation of The Women Transforming Media Awards sponsored by Eva Haller.

The Dan Eldon Activist Award 2024

By: Abigail Richardson

Kathy Eldon and Grandson Daniel Eldon Turteltaub presented the 2024 Dan Eldon Activist Award.

The WOJ Youth Reporter Awards 2024

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about the WOJ Youth Reporter Awards presented at the 20th Annual MY HERO International Film Festival on November 16th, 2024.

Stories

Goldie Hawn Honored by MY HERO

By: Abigail Richardson

Hawn, renowned for her Academy Award-winning performances, is also a producer, director, best-selling author, and a passionate advocate for children.

Tiffany Shlain Wins The MY HERO Media Award

By: Abigail Richardson

The MY HERO Project is thrilled to announce that Tiffany Shlain & Goldie Hawn will be honored with the 2024 MY HERO Media Award at our 20th Annual Film Festival.

Judge Songhai Armstead

By: Abigail Richardson

Judge Songhai Armstead was a judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California.

Samara Hutman and C. Lily Ericsson are Winners at the MY HERO Film Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

Samara Hutman and C. Lily Ericsson and team are Winners at the MY HERO Film Festival.

Harambee Arts: Healing Through Creativity

By: Abigail Richardson

Harambee Arts uses the power of creative expression to help women and children recover from the devastating effects of trauma.

'Ambassadors of Hope' Wins Dan Eldon Award

By: Abigail Richardson

The Trailer, 'Ambassadors of Hope' has been selected as the winner of the Dan Eldon Activist Award at the 20th MY HERO International Film Festival!

Dima Puchkarev has Won 3 Awards at the MY HERO Film Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

Grillo is a short film by Dima Puchkarev. It has been selected for the Ron Kovic Peace, the Relationships First Award, and 1st Place College Documentary.

Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries

By: Abigail Richardson

Homeboy Industries is the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world.

‘Daga - A Woman’s Fight to Empower Girls in her Village’ has won the Eva Haller’s Women Transforming Media Award

By: Abigail Richardson

The film follows Daga Baldé from southern Senegal who is a local leader in her community and a passionate advocate for girls’ and women’s education.

Tostan's Community Empowerment Program

By: Abigail Richardson

Tostan is a non-governmental organization founded in 1991 in Senegal, focuses on empowering African communities through its Community Empowerment Program (CEP).

Jonathan Sprout Wins a Sing for Hope Award at the 20th MY HERO Film Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

Jonathan Sprout Wins a Sing for Hope Award at the 20th MY HERO Film Festival

Katalin Egely Wins a Sing for Hope Award at the 20th MY HERO Film Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

Katalin Egely Wins a Sing for Hope Award at the 20th MY HERO Film Festival

Brandon Broady has Won a MY HERO Award at the 20th Film Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

“Run” directed by Brandon Broady has won 1st place in the student mentor narrative category at the 20th MY HERO International Film Festival.

Charlayne Hunter-Gault: Activist and Journalist

By: Abigail Richardson

Charlayne Hunter-Gault is a pioneering journalist and civil rights activist whose life and career have been marked by breaking barriers and championing equality.

Autism on the Water: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities

By: Abigail Richardson

Autism on the Water (AOTW) is a charity dedicated to raising awareness about the autism spectrum through sailing and boating, all free of charge.

Tomas Diagne: The Director of the African Chelonian Institute

By: Abigail Richardson

Tomas Diagne has dedicated his life to the preservation of Africa’s chelonians—tortoises and freshwater turtles.

Dr. Jacques Sebisaho and Amani Global Works

By: Abigail Richardson

Dr. Jacques Sebisaho, a physician, researcher, and humanitarian from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is the driving force behind Amani Global Works (AGW).

The Sloth Conservation Foundation

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about The Sloth Conservation Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of sloths.

Bridging Fragments is a Finalist at MY HERO's Film Festival

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about MY HERO International Film Festival Finalist ‘Bridging Fragments,’ directed by Sonny DePasquale.

Emergent Productions: Promoting Conservation Through Digital Storytelling

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about Emergent Productions, a Florida-based non-profit organization using digital storytelling to promote conservation.

Rich German

By: Abigail Richardson

Rich German is a prominent advocate for ocean conservation, an accomplished author, and an inspirational speaker.

Okla Hina Ikhish Holo and WECAN: Protecting Indigenous Lands and the Climate

By: Abigail Richardson

Okla Hina Ikhish Holo is a grassroots Indigenous-led movement in collaboration with the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN).

Tige Charity, 2024 Special HERO Award

By: Abigail Richardson

MY HERO is delighted to honor Tige Charity, founder of Kids in the Spotlight, Inc. (KITS), with a Special Hero Award at the 20th MY HERO International Film Festival.

Her Voice Wins WTM Award at MY HERO Film Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

'Her Voice' directed by Carletta S. Hurt and Sunnye C. Durham of IKAM Productions wins WTM Award at the 20th MY HERO International Film Festival!

Documentary Expedition Amana is a Finalist at the MY HERO Film Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

MY HERO interviewed Mason Le about his experience as a filmmaker and his contribution to this project.

Matumbawe is a Finalist at MY HERO's Film Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

Matumbawe has been selected as a finalist at the 20th MY HERO Film Festival.

Max Romey wins the 2024 MY HERO Sylvia Earle Award

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read an interview with Max Romey, creator of the 2024 MY HERO Sylvia Earle Award winning film 'If You Give a Beach a Bottle.'

My Choice Points is a Finalist at The MY HERO Film Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

My Choice Points is an animated short film directed by Katy Ross and produced by Katy and Deborah Weiss.

Mariama Diamanka: Promoting Peace Through Art

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about Mariama Diamanka, one of Dakar's leading urban artists promoting peace, hope, and social progress.

Demita Vega de Lille: Olympic Windsurfer

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about Demita Vega de Lille, an Olympic windsurfer and hero featured in one of the finalist films at the MY HERO Film Festival 2024.

'Rewilding Honeybees,' directed by Cameron Nielsen

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about Cameron Nielsen's short documentary 'Rewilding Honeybees,' a finalist at the 2024 MY HERO International Film Festival.

Vivien Mason Wins Stop Motion Animation

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about Vivien Mason's 'Handmade Happiness,' first place winner in the Stop Motion Animation category at the 20th Annual MY HERO International Film Festival.

Colleen Cooley

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about Colleen Cooley, a San Juan River guide featured in one of the winning films at the 20th Annual MY HERO International Film Festival.

Student Filmmakers

Katherine Liao: MY HERO BEST of FEST Winner

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about Katherine Liao, a student filmmaker and activist passionate about fighting injustice.

Finn DeWitt is a Film Festival Winner

By: Abigail Richardson

The film Sustainability? wins a WOJ Youth Reporter Award at the 20th MY HERO Film Festival

Magnus Shipe wins an Award at the 20th MY HERO FILM Festival

By: Abigail Richardson

Kuinerraq is a short film where Magnus Shipe explores the heritage of his maternal grandma through this glance at a Yu'pik village and his Native Alaskan roots.

KITS has won a WOJ Youth Reporter Award 2024

By: Abigail Richardson

In this film, while contemplating his future, a high school boy is forced to confront a painful secret that will shed a light on the system that failed him.

Natalie Chien Wins 2024 MY HERO Sing for Hope Music Video Student Award

By: Naomi Gledhill

Read about Natalie Chien's 'Viva La Veta,' winner of the MY HERO Sing for Hope Music Video Student Award, 2024.

'Joy Buolamwini' by Abbigail Mira Wins WOJ and WTM Awards at 2024 MY HERO International Film Festival

By: MY HERO Media

Ascot Avenue Elementary student Abbigail Mira wins WOJ and WTM Awards at 2024 MY HERO International Film Festival, with a short documentary about digital activst Joy Buolamwini.