Last fall, PUMA.Creative and Channel 4 and BRITDOC Foundation launched a set of six international programmes and awards aimed at supporting talented filmmakers, who create their works to spread the word about environmental issues, global conflict and social injustice. At the Durban International Film Festival (July 21–31), on July 25, five finalists for 2011 PUMA.Creative Impact Award were announced—they were selected from over 70 entries sent over starting January based on the budget of the film, social impact it has made around the globe, influencing politics and businessmen who can foster positive change, and a range of other facts.
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To celebrate its 50th anniversary, WWF created a breathtaking short film titled ‘Astonish me’ to showcase some of the extraordinary species recently found around the world. The film stars Bill Nighy, Gemma Arterton, Christian McKay and introduces Will Jacklin. An acclaimed writer Stephen Poliakoff and director Charles Sturridge were behind the scenes of this magical tale.
A year after YouTube asked people from all around the globe to contribute to making the ‘Life in a Day’ crowdsourcing movie, Intel Corporation and Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. issued a call encouraging Internet users to participate in developing the state-of-the-art social film project dubbed ‘Inside.’ The blockbuster thriller starring Emmy Rossum (‘Phantom of the Opera’) and directed by D.J Caruso (‘Eagle Eye’) and Oscar-winning cinematographer Mauro Fiore (‘Avatar’), will be created in line with the previously launched Intel’s ‘Visual Life’ campaign and its numerous advertising pieces revolving around the escape theme.
ABSOLUT Vodka, the iconic alcohol brand deeply involved into creative movement (focusing on visual art—its numerous themed projects prove it), also collaborates with music talents on short documentaries, celebrating the performers and their achievements. In March 2010, the brand teamed up with Jay-Z to release a 14-minute documentary about the musician’s life and work (the video also featured footage from a concert at Madison Square Garden), and now it’s announcing another two-part film starring rapper and record producer Cee Lo Green—the first chapter of their work titled ‘Cee Lo Distilled’ will appear on the brand’s Facebook page on June 27.
YouTube is providing filmmakers and cinema fans from all around the globe with an awesome opportunity to watch shorts, screened at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, online. Those, who will not be able to attend this year’s event, which is taking place in NYC April 20-May1 and marks its 10th anniversary, can visit a the Screening Room channel on YouTube and so in some way feel the spirit of the festival, which was co-founded by Robert De Niro back in 2002.
One of the boldest youth targeted filmmaking initiatives launched last year, the Sprite Refreshing Films Program, is approaching the finish line. The soft drink brand is proud to present six films created by the finalists of the project and is encouraging Americans to visit the dedicated hub and vote for their favourite short movie by sending text messages—the team behind the winning work will head to a major film festival this summer where their movie will be screened.
In the world of beer brands, Stella Artois and Grolsch are recognized cinema addicts. While the first of them provides a retrospective look at the history of cinematograph with its numerous projects and hilarious retro-style campaign as well as pays tribute to the recent accomplishments in the industry by supporting the Cannes Film Festival, the second one, which also celebrates the legendary movies through its Grolsch & LWLies Presents club, from now on is mainly focused on the future. The iconic Dutch beer brand is now sponsoring the 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF) and also presents a new program dubbed ‘Grolsch Film Works’ to give a hand to emerging cinema talents.