Awesome Foundation - Projects

Detroit, MI – Apex Documentary

2026-03-23T00:00:00Z

Greater is a short experimental documentary that captures endangered Black family archives in Detroit before they disappear. Centered on the Apex Bar, a Black-owned business in Paradise Valley, the project gathers oral histories, family photographs, street sounds, and material memory to preserve stories that were never meant for institutional archives but sustained entire communities. What makes this project awesome is its urgency and inventiveness. Rather than waiting for perfect conditions or institutional permission, the film intervenes now, recording elders while they are still here and activating memory through beauty, texture, and sound. Interviews unfold alongside poetic visual sequences using textiles, light, and abstraction, allowing history to be felt, not just explained. The $1,000 grant would be used immediately to support travel to interview elders, digitize family photographs, and capture sound and video at meaningful locations tied to the Apex Bar. Jaylen Baity is a local videographer that will shoot this project. All of these funds will be allocated to him. This small but catalytic support would help secure fragile stories at a critical moment, transforming personal memory into a shared cultural artifact. This project believes that preserving Black memory is not only necessary, but radical. It fills the gap between what was lived and what was recorded, ensuring that these stories are not lost to time, redevelopment, or silence. That act of care, urgency, and imagination is what makes this project awesome.

San Francisco, CA – Death Gives Love Meaning

2025-11-11T00:00:00Z

Most of us are scared of death. I imagine some of you reading this application are scared too. We don’t even want to say the word out loud. People will use the language “passed away” or “gone too soon,” then change the subject immediately. It’s like death is this awkward friend we all ghosted but still check up on from across the room. I have a project that I want to introduce that I believe supports folks with this fear. Death Gives Love Meaning is my way of turning toward that fear. It is an exhibition about reverence for death; it centers the beauty of death (if you can imagine that) and the deep love that surrounds it when we’re allowed to be in charge of our own endings. At the center is Joshua Tree, which is a short film following two lovers who discover what love really means as they approach death. Around the film are large photographs, altar pieces, and a soft sound bath that feels like an exhale, really. There’s also a Death Literacy Portal, that is more of a hands-on corner with fabrics, altar glass, and little zines that make it easier to talk about dying without the room getting all weird. The vision is part art show, part ritual, part experiment in courage. I want people to leave a little lighter and maybe less afraid. Maybe even thinking that death is not their enemy, but a reminder to live more intentionally. The project is tender and a little awkward. It’s real. And in its own way. And I think its awesome.

San Francisco, CA – The Worst Film Festival

2025-07-08T00:00:00Z

The Worst Film Festival is Back! Where Flops are the Feature and Cringe Builds Community Move over Oscars, there's a new festival in town and it's gloriously bad. The Worst Film Festival is here to flip the script on failure and shine a spotlight on the projects that didn’t quite go as planned. Our mission? To bring creative missteps out of the shadows and celebrate them as necessary, hilarious, and even beautiful stepping stones on the path to artistic growth. Everyone has a project they'd rather forget - an overexposed short, a plotless epic, a sound mix that sounds like it was recorded in a wind tunnel - but at The Worst Film Festival these cinematic calamities take center stage. Because let’s be honest: failure is part of the process, and it’s time we embraced it. This isn't about mockery. It’s about meaning, and screenings are followed by a live Q&A. We believe that the worst work often paves the way for our best so we’re creating a space where filmmakers of all sorts can laugh, learn, and lift each other up, one glorious mess at a time. After the HUGE success of our inaugural year we are excited to bring this festival back to our community. The Worst Film Festival was founded in 2024 by Danielle Cheifetz (Founder & Producer, Kraken Cove Productions), Cheryl Isaacson (Founder & Director, Lincoln Street Studios), and Keren Southall (Producer).

Toronto – Sleepless Cinema

2025-03-31T00:00:00Z

Sleepless Cinema is a new Toronto-based film club that aims to combine great films with thought-provoking discussions about what keeps us up at night. We're a group of film lovers dedicated to hosting great events, supporting local up-and-coming filmmakers, and facilitating interesting discussions. Our goal is to create an environment where film enthusiasts can connect with creators in the industry and expert panelists through conversation about central movie themes. We aim to provide in-depth discussions in a welcoming, accessible way and provide an entertaining and informative night out! Our first event will begin with the short film Black Empanadas by Sid Santiago Zanforlin, followed by George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead. Then we will have a panel discussion examining how horror films reflect and challenge our feelings on xenophobia, featuring panelists Bobby Markov, Travis Wallace, and Mitchell Wilson. This event will be held at the Palmerston Public Library Theatre on Sunday, April 13 at 6:30pm.* * Not a Toronto Public Library event

Santa Cruz, CA – Hometown Homeless

2025-02-09T00:00:00Z

Hometown Homeless is a collaborative documentary project based in Santa Cruz California. The film itself is the culmination of six years of work that I have done within the encampments in Santa Cruz. This work started in the city sanctioned Benchlands encampment as an interview and portrait project that was geared towards highlighting community driven solutions. As this work progressed it turned into a very short documentary that explored the meaning of home. This short then inspired my current documentary and laid the foundation for the relationships and deep admiration I have for the current participants of my documentary Hometown Homeless. The money from this grant will be used to fund the post production of this film. I will put it directly towards sound mixing and coloring the film which are two very important components of post production.This money would allow the film to be completed and ready to screen locally so that it can perpetuate positive change within our community.

Poughkeepsie, NY – Nicky and Nick

2024-12-16T00:00:00Z

In 2019, I began writing a feature film about college basketball, toxic masculinity, and compulsory heterosexuality. Today, I’m working towards making this film a reality! My team and I are preparing to create a proof of concept film that introduces the main characters, their conflict and their world. It is a short, six page script that opens on a basketball practice and then goes into a conversation in the woods between the main characters. This scene explores the characters, two men, fighting their feelings for each other with every excuse possible despite them both clearly having feelings for each other. The film takes place in 2011 and is set against the pressure filled, heteronormative world of college basketball, the feature film story explores what it means to come into yourself as an adult and become the type of person you want to see in the world. We’re hoping to use this short film to raise funds for the feature and get this story into the world!

Sydney – If/When

2024-03-06T00:00:00Z

If/When is a 6-minute stop-motion animation about lonely Ollie - born with a unique time-traveling condition who struggles to make lasting connections; until they meet Az - with her grey restless eyes, who are worth trying to defy the universe for. If/When is about fighting to be with our loved ones and holding onto them for as long as we can. We’re proud to share that our inclusive crew is primarily made of women and non-binary crew members. This story is adapted for the animated screen by Courtney Westbrook and is based on the original short story by Richie Black. Not only is our story awesome, but our emphasis on creating a warm and positive environment that is female focused. The labour of love involved with handcrafting has become increasingly valuable in an AI obsessed world. If/When has completed production on our lead puppets ‘Ollie’ and ‘Az’ and major set design. We are moving into the stage where we are making the last of our sets and getting ready to start camera tests. As our sets and puppets are completely handcrafted they require very particular materials to work for the animation process, as well as the overall aesthetic. Keeping this in mind, we’ve adopted a sustainable approach by selecting materials from 'Reverse Garbage' who extends their lifecycle and diverts them from landfills. Additionally we utilise landfill diverted paper wherever possible for set construction and puppet creation. We’ve conducted extensive research into animation, female and LGBTQIA+ focused grants; however due to the nature of the industry they are few and far between. When we came across The Awesome Foundation we were excited that projects would be judged based on the merit of how they create a positive and lasting impact on the Sydney community. Our Director, Courtney’s hope for If/When was to hire a female identifying crew to help create equity on and off Australian screens. Likewise, we have also created learning opportunities in a variety of roles: bringing on board art, production and sound trainees to gain mentoring experience. The Awesome Foundation will be a significant help in bringing our characters from the page to the screen with intricate backdrops and complex puppet designs. It will enable us to move into the next stage of production involving camera and animation tests. Overall, our commitment to sustainability goes beyond just the choice of materials, it encompasses the entire production process from design to disposal. By prioritising environmental responsibility we aim to create a positive impact both within our project and the broader community. If/When hopes to shine a light on animation, mental health issues, and women and non-binary representation within the film industry. Our aim is to show this film at festivals and hope that its impact will continue to be felt for many years to come, giving hope to those lost or seeking comfort.

North Minneapolis, MN – Justice then Peace: A Mel Reeves Documentary

2023-12-31T00:00:00Z

My Awesome project is inspired by the late great Mel Reeves! As we continue to uplift his legacy by honoring his work, we know how important it is to document history. Though he is no longer with us, we would like to honor him with a short film that details his contributions and journey, narrated by the people who knew him best! The anniversary of his death is Saturday January 6th 2024. Vegan Byy Nature would like to host an event at the Capri Theatre that includes a vegan meal, panel discussion and screening of short film. Imagine watching a documentary that includes leaders like Rose Brewer, Mahmoud El-Kati, and Chris Nisan. Some of the goals of this project include, documenting history, honoring elders, bringing awareness to health and wellness and celebrating a Northside ICON!

Chicago, IL – Wolves

2023-09-27T00:00:00Z

Wolves is an upcoming horror short film. While on their way to a late-night rave several groups of friends are attacked by packs of rabid werewolves The final short film will be released in 2025. The funds from this grant will go towards the cast and makeup artists during filming. http://www.coolcats.shop/wolves

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Queerious

2023-09-18T00:00:00Z

In the poverty- and trauma-impacted rural community of Taos in northern New Mexico, Queerious is an off-campus, innovative, and rare after-school program for LGBTQIA+ teens to tell their stories and feel free to talk about their feelings and share their struggles without judgment or stigma. We have the goals of supporting LGBTQIA by listening to their struggles; and of creating a media format that projects their true stories. Led by a multi-lingual self-identified lesbian with a passion for human rights and self-expression. HOW? • Our overall objective will be to tell our stories without judgment or stigma, have a dialogue about the importance of intersectionality, mental health disparities across social identities, risk factors involving being out and or staying in the closet, we will take a look on how conversion therapy affects a human being in their entire life span, how parents view their LGBTQIA+ child, affirming spaces and activities specially at school, policies and practices that support transgender and non-binary youth among other topics that may arise. • After covering most or all of the topics above we will evaluate how and where to tell our stories. And having all the necessary tools, we can produce a short film, a podcast, or film a short doc-series (that could be a continuous form of art that we can pass on to future students.) WHAT? A Podcast (this will cover several topics!) PSAs (sound and restricted images/video) Anything the students want to create! Later: A film Photograph exhibit

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – The Mississippi Delta: Dreams and Reality

2023-07-24T00:00:00Z

"The Mississippi Delta: Dreams and Reality" is a short-form documentary that follows the daily lives of five individuals living in the Mississippi Delta region of the United States. Through intimate interviews and personal vignettes, the film gives viewers a unique glimpse into the hopes, dreams, and struggles of these individuals as they navigate the challenges of life in this diverse and complex region. At its core, the film underscores the significance of family and religion and the fundamental truth that regardless of our political affiliations or convictions, we really do need each other. Through its powerful storytelling and intimate portrayals of everyday life, "The Mississippi Delta: Dreams and Reality" offers a thought-provoking and inspiring look at the human experience in this unique and fascinating part of the world. As an artist, my main influences stem from my deep connection to Southern culture, which is reflected in my work as a filmmaker. Growing up in the South has given me a unique perspective on life, and I strive to represent this region authentically through my films. The rarity of seeing high-quality independent films coming out of the South has also influenced my work, as I seek to break this trend and showcase the artistic contributions of this region. My past experience shooting commercial fashion campaigns has provided me with the technical skills and knowledge needed to undertake this project. This experience has allowed me to capture authentic moments and combine them with a slick and polished look. Furthermore, my personal connection to the South runs even deeper as my family originates from the region. After the passing of my father six years ago, this project has become even more personal and is dedicated to his memory. Working on this project has allowed me to collaborate with my family in an intimate way, bringing us closer together while fueling my artistic passion and dedication to representing the South through my work.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – An Ecological Discourse - 3 short films on seasons

2023-06-12T00:00:00Z

'An ecological discourse' is envisioned to be a trilogy of short films based on three seasons (grazing, non-grazing and monsoon), which emerges from the perspective of grazing and human-nonhuman entanglements in the landscape in times of climate crisis. So far I have completed one video chapter (titled Scream) out of two chapters. Scream emerges from that season in the year when grazing of goats ceases as grazing commons transform to mono crop farmland and foraging for domesticated non humans takes complex forms, considering many more herders of cows and goats in my village gets constricted with lesser access to grass/plants for their animals. The remaining two video chapters will be in collaboration with my goat/cow grazing colleagues, traditional sculptors in the village who makes animal figurines during the harvest festival (elements of which will be incorporated into the making of the videos) and ritual based musical performers (elements of which will be incorporated into the making of the videos). I envision these three video chapters to evoke a rethinking of anthropocentric narratives on landscape with the hope that this stimulates and radicalizes new ways of actions in the near future in times of climate emergency. While the project forays into the contested ecosphere, it will also delve into the nuances of the socio political and gender realities within human societies with specific focus on my wider village, which forms as micro lens. The landscape here is the reference to understand enmeshed human hegemonies and its implications in the ecosphere. After the completion of the short films, I intend to show them in local schools and colleges in my village and other institutes for a wider engagement, whereby a discourse can kickstart to rethink grazing and its entrapped gender and class biases within my village and in wider India. The intent is to open a dialogue around landscape and our complex relationship with it and why such a discourse is crucial today.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Ukuzila/Lament

2023-05-15T00:00:00Z

Women and community members perform ancient lamentation rituals at a contested site in Cape Town, South Africa, where there has been historical violence against women and indigenous lands. Our project explores the intimate correlation between the degradation of the natural world and interdependent ecologies, and the exploitation, domination, and violence against women. Collaborating with internationally renowned voice experts and South African performers, we have chosen the sacred land of the Liesbeek River. The event will be filmed and include short interviews with activists and artists. Global retail giant Amazon is building its $284 million African headquarters on contested indigenous land in Cape Town. The floodplain, at the confluence of the Black and Liesbeek rivers, is of great heritage significance to the Khoi and San, First Nations people of South Africa. Historically, the site has been documented as pastoral grounds for the Goringhaicona Khoi groups in pre-colonial times. It is also claimed it is the site of the first battle between indigenous people and Portuguese colonists who landed on South African shores more than 500 years ago. The Khoi victory over the Portuguese in 1510 and later their defeat of the Dutch in 1660 has inscribed the land as the first site of colonial defiance. The land bears heritage-- is the site for commemoration and memory and is critical to the revivalist movement of First Nations people. The rivers and its diverse ecosystems are intrinsic to First Nation identity and connection to Spirit. It is also an ecologically significant green urban corridor that mitigates against flooding in a time of climate change and hosts a diversity of wildlife. In this context, Amazon's development is considered a sacrilege, a violent recolonization of place and people in the interest of global corporate capital. The female body is also a "contested site," as women are disproportionately affected by violence and discrimination.

Santa Cruz, CA – Concurrent

2023-04-03T00:00:00Z

A four part experimental short film about the simultaneous existence of opposing phenomena at the intersection of female sexuality, spirituality, surfing, and creativity. The film will transition poetically between hand-drawn stop-motion animation and live action footage - centered around two women from Santa Cruz CA and their process living with and healing from sexual trauma. Meehan plans to use the grant to purchase materials needed for the stop motion animation part of the film as well as support her collaborators. The film is planned for showing later this year.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Touched

2023-03-06T00:00:00Z

The U.S. has more than 200 animation studios, even with that large number, the percentage of female animators in 2022 is 28% in the United States. So how about the percentage of female animators in my small country Lebanon which has no animation film studios? Well, I'm that percentage! I'm one of the small possibilities for my county to have a future in the animation industry. My Project is a short animated film called "Touched". The project will be animated by me, who's considered less than a minority in the field of animation, not just because of my gender, but because of my origins, my religion, and my country's misfortunes. I'm just a small girl, doing what she loves, trying her best to thrive in a habitat that has barely any light! Hence you can say that my project is a small stepping stone for a brighter future for animation in Lebanon. The short film is called "Touched", a 2D animation project of 6 minutes. The film lead is a girl in her twenties named Bee who lives in a big city. One day, Bee comes across a situation bigger than her understanding. She then feels powerless. The film ends with us seeing how Bee deals with her overwhelming situation. Through Bee's story, I intend to discuss a social topic: duties and rights in the modern world. The girl’s story will make us debate and ask questions such as: Is it all right to be dismissive of the things happening around us fully knowing that they are happening? Is our right as humans to live in peace more important that our duties as citizens? The film’s purpose is to evoke discussion and introduce a new viewpoint on a social topic. It is also intended to run, be accepted, and hopefully win in festivals. When completed the film will be submitted to festivals, and will be used as an example to get funds for my first full-length animated film, to then lead the road for opening an animation studio in Lebanon. This film will be the Launch of my career, and hopefully many female Lebanese animators after me!

State College, PA – REEL-izing Dance & Theatre on Film

2023-02-01T00:00:00Z

Together with Cynthia Mazzant, theatre artist, teaching artist, and artistic director of Tempest Productions in State College, VanDance proposes a new community arts educational event, REEL-izing Dance & Theatre on Film. Our mission is to curate dance, performance art, and spectacle films for a mini-series of monthly showings hosted by local professional artists/teaching artists. Offered on Sunday afternoons, we have scheduled Tempest Studios on 3/19 and 4/16 at 4pm and possibly 6/11 at 7:30pm to build excitement and awareness for the Central PA Theatre & Dance Fest. We are looking at films such as El Amor Brujo, Billy Elliot, Honey, Ballet Russes, Chicago, Moulin Rouge, Strictly Ballroom, Tap, and an evening of shorts such as Dance on Camera distributed by Insight Media. The purpose is to build and to serve audiences knowledgeable about dance film, dance, performance art, and theatre in film through a series of two to three film screenings in an intimate, arts-based setting in State College. Local teaching artists will discuss/workshop aspects of the films with the audiences. It is a community friendly way to enjoy choreographic storytelling and creative expression through classic and innovative media works. To this end I have already begun to identify key individuals in our local dance and theatre arts community such as studio owners with instructors and students of dance, and college faculty with students of film and dance in the School of Theatre at Penn State. A screening of the classic film “The Red Shoes” also provided for a discussion of films that could further enhance community education and training. Our goal is to continue to build a dance/performance art community and audience and dialogue with facets of this niche community that don’t often intermingle. This is another goal for the series. An Awesome Grant will would allow this project to meet its potential of having 2-3 films of excellent quality, high interest and educational value for this niche.

New York City, NY – Tiresias Presents UNDERWORLD

2022-09-27T00:00:00Z

Our September grant has been awarded to **UNDERWORLD**, a chaotic nighttime spectacle and ritual celebration featuring weird and wild performance work inspired by myths, legends, folktales, and fairytales, taking place at [3 Dollar Bill in Brooklyn on October 22nd](https://www.3dollarbillbk.com/rsvp/2022/10/22/tiresias-presents-underworld). Hosted by Tiresias, shapeshifting songbard oracle of the Underworld, the extravaganza will feature a menagerie of chthonic entities from Mothra to Mother Earth. **Run amok with masked phantoms, puppet apparitions, mystic spirits, and drag monstrosities**, UNDERWORLD is a Dionysian danse macabre you won’t live to forget. Artist Evan Silver writes: _"Spaces where queer people feel liberated to be their weirdest and wildest are vital to our collective joy and survival. I want to build an immersive world of fantasy, chaos, and wonder, where people feel not only tolerated but celebrated for being weirdos and freaks. Opportunities to really let our freak flags fly – and let’s be clear, I’m not talking about the Pride Parade™ – are deeply awesome but unfortunately rare._ _"So, I want awe, as in mouths agape at gargantuan ghost puppets and astonishing works of mythological performance art. And I want awe, as in, amazement at what is artistically possible in a queer nightlife space, where little is expected other than pop songs and death drops. **But I also want the awesome that is creating vital space for queer people to celebrate the wild chaos and jubilation that is our existence**. That, I hope, is the awesome of UNDERWORLD."_ **UNDERWORLD: Resurrection (Act One)** will include wild and wicked performances by Jay Kay, La Zavaleta, Ode aka Tristan Allen, Will Atkins, and Tiresias. **EARTHWORM: Emergence (Act Two)** will involve mystical and mysterious performances by Mizuho Kappa, Ezra Moth, Megami, Amygdala, and Nicolas Baird, with a screening of a short film by the Institute of Queer Ecology. Sublime rhythms will be provided by the divine DJ Christian Tokyo. Our grant will support the production of this spectacle, including the creation of a very, very large puppet – a "_convening of reanimated ghosts and spirits. **The very premise of the show is to reawaken old stories for new audiences**_." For more information about Tiresias and UNDERWORLD, follow [@whoistiresias on instagram](https://www.instagram.com/whoistiresias/) When: October 22nd, 2022 at 7:30pm Where: 3 Dollar Bill, 260 Maserole St., Brooklyn, NY 11206 [Buy your tickets now!](https://www.3dollarbillbk.com/rsvp/2022/10/22/tiresias-presents-underworld) _Photo credits: Vnyx Murdoch ([@vnyx_productions](https://www.instagram.com/vnyx_productions/)) and Rachel Slakter ([@rs.art.photo](https://www.instagram.com/rs.art.photo/))_

Portland, OR – Petals and Thorns: A Spoken Word Journey

2022-07-26T00:00:00Z

Petals and Thorns: A Spoken Word Journey is a short film documentary that will follow the experience of nine (9) youth Black high school aged age in a 1-week intensive writing and spoken word workshop. The workshop will culminate in a "open mic" style event featuring performance of the workshop's participants. Although I have 25 years of experience working with youth and have created, coordinated and facilitated an award-winning youth program previously, this is my first time creating a short film. I am excited to continue my work with youth, especially providing them a space and platform to center, develop and elevate their voice in this way, during what is already a typically challenging period of a teen's life, but much more so, in light of the last 2.5 years and everything that has happened in their lives and our world since this time. I want to not only give them space and permission to express themselves, but to validate and value their feelings and perspectives. The workshop is valuable on its own, but it must be witnessed and experienced by more than just those in the room. It must be made into a short film and I hope the Awesome Foundation will help me to do that.

San Francisco, CA – Loud Cinema

2022-07-13T00:00:00Z

Loud Cinema is a nomadic curatorial platform that presents 20th century film with new scores by local musicians — supporting experimentation across sound and the moving image. On August 20, 2022 at Gray Area / Grand Theater, Loud Cinema will partner with SMARTBOMB (a visionary Oakland artist platform known for their longstanding hip-hop party) to curate an audio/visual experience across time featuring short films, new scores, music videos, animations, performance, and more for one night only.

State College, PA – Pray for Me SHORT FILM

2022-06-01T00:00:00Z

Dark Mind Productions, a production company based in State College, PA, is producing a narrative short film (working title "Pray for Me") and aims to connect to survivors and victims of ongoing and past suicide-related tragedies. The film, written by and starring Kyle Blumenthal (recent graduate of Penn State’s BFA Acting Program and writer of this proposal), urges people not to suffer in silence. “Suicide is a troubling public health issue that leaves a lasting impact on families and communities. Between 1999 and 2019, the suicide death rate increased 33%… [In 2020,] 12.2 million adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.2 million made a plan and 1.2 million attempted suicide” (American Health Rankings). More personally, this film is important to me (Kyle) because suicide has had a significant impact in the life of me and my loved ones. I am a survivor of suicide. During my battle two years ago, I felt unreasonably alone, lost deep in the woods with no rescue. Healing was difficult, to say the least; I constantly felt a strong allure to the idea of being lost in the wilderness, forever. Such isolation would feel familiar, despite friends and family doing all they could to support me. Upon further interrogation of my illusory fantasy, I realized this escape would, in fact, turn into a nightmare. I could not have survived my battle with suicide without support from those around me. During my healing process, I realized how deeply loved I am, and this love showed me light. Escaping into the woods forever would also be abandoning any chance of finding such light in my life. This short film is a surrealist interpretation of my illusory fantasy. We want to illustrate that disappearing forever does not fix anything and that, in fact, the things and people we take for granted are the very beauty of being alive. We hope this story will connect to and inspire people struggling in silence to reach out and speak up.

Baltimore, MD – U Thought I Was Him: An Exhibition with Play

2022-04-06T00:00:00Z

My proposed project is the expansion of the existing short film “U Thought I Was Him” to a full stage play and exhibition in the form of a chroeopoem. The chroeopoem is a form of dramatic expression that combines poetry, dance, short stories, music and visual images. The expansion from short film to a full stage production with an exhibition will allow the audience to witness several stories of African American characters and how they navigate the cultural landscape of Baltimore and surrounding communities. As director and contributing playwright, I with a group of artists/creatives that I have mentored plan to bring a public stage production and exhibition in the fall of 2022. The project aims to provide a means of healing for many deep rooted, generational trauma and racial issues that many face today. My approach of using comedy, tragedy, music, images (photography and still life paintings), and movement will provide the balance of entertainment observational and educational awareness.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Outlast Arts and Education Media Arts Camp

2022-04-04T00:00:00Z

Outlast Arts and Education is a volunteer-driven initiative that provides annual film and media arts camps to Native American youth on Pine Ridge Reservation in rural South Dakota. Each summer, a group of film and media professionals, artists, and teachers travel from various locations across the US to teach technical and creative competencies that promote digital literacy, art, leadership, community, and advocacy. These skills not only allow students to reclaim their narratives from harmful and inaccurate stereotypes but help propel them forward in a diverse and digital world. Students have made short films and documentaries, music videos, podcasts, and self-portraits. Students work together to brainstorm, design, produce and edit all of their projects over the course of one week. These self-directed projects represent their experiences and world views and allow them to see themselves in media. Going into our 6th year, three Outlast students have gone on to study film and media at the Institute of American Indian Arts and we are currently preparing to help three more with their film school applications. Our program serves youths from age 8-19, and in the six years since our founding, we have had 50 individual participants, with numerous students returning to our program until aging out. Outlast Arts and Education Media Camp is always free to students, with meals, transportation, and equipment provided. We partner with local organizations and individuals on the reservation to build community and strengthen the quality of our program. Our funding primarily comes from crowd-funding, such as GoFundMe or Indigogo, or through small, community events, such as Make Noise Nights, film screenings, and small concerts. In addition, we have been fortunate to receive in-kind donations from businesses including U.S. Foods, Nalgene, Field Notes, Adobe, The Crayon Collective, and AbelCine. Outlast Arts and Education is led entirely by People of Color and/or Women.

New York City, NY – The Passion Project

2021-11-29T00:00:00Z

This month's grant has been awarded to The Passion Project, a high school ELA curriculum for students to find a passion and work with a mentor to produce their final project. Past participants in the program have designed video games, produced albums, planned art galleries, designed forensic investigation game shows, written novels, and produced short films, to name a few. Grant recipient Shawn Waterman writes: _I’m honored to have been selected as November’s winner of the Awesome NYC grant. My public teaching career began in Brooklyn, New York, where I was fortunate enough to be mentored by talented and progressive educators that inspired me to discover innovative ways to connect with and engage young learners._ _Over the past eleven years, I’ve developed a high school ELA curriculum that challenges students to discover a passion, research it, work with a mentor, create a final product, and then share it with their local community. I envision an ELA classroom where students are developing their literacy skills through the exploration of their own personal hobbies and interests._ _With this Awesome NYC grant, I plan to pilot a Professional Development program for educators at The Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice. The work will involve tailoring the curriculum to the school’s specific needs and providing support throughout implementation._ _I hope to bring this program to schools across the nation, and I’m so excited that the Awesome NYC grant is providing me with the opportunity to introduce my idea in New York City, where my own passion for education took root!_

On the Water – Black Mayonnaise

2021-11-17T00:00:00Z

Black Mayonnaise is a short experimental documentary film about the dredging of the Gowanus Canal, one of the most contaminated bodies of water in the United States. Polluted by more than a century of industrial waste and raw sewage, the canal is now undergoing a Federal Superfund cleanup by the Environmental Protection Agency, unearthing its toxic ‘black mayonnaise’ next to a busy public promenade located in the middle of several busy residential neighborhoods. This documentary is a visual exploration of the dredging process, both above and below the water, and is expected to premiere at film festivals in 2022.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – The Statues

2021-10-11T00:00:00Z

“The Statues” is a short film set in Mexico City in which the famous statues of illustrious men on Reforma Avenue —which have been defaced by feminists in protest— share a conversation with one another about feminism, generated from hate comments by men on social media. The film’s script was written taking into consideration the statues’ gestures and expressions, playing with their possible concordance with the hate comments, to be read in voice over by actors. The story is divided into five segments during which the statues discuss the topics of feminism, feminicide, vandalism, abortion, and men’ rights. Passerby, cleaning and restoration personnel, street vendors and other characters on Reforma Avenue participate during brief interludes after each segment, including one where they suddenly freeze like statues in the middle of performing routinely activities. The film’s visual language will meditate on the topics of change and permanence through the constant opposition between movement and stillness. The arc of the story is the passage of time, seen from sunrise to sunset during the course of a day.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Someone You Know

2021-08-09T00:00:00Z

My project is a short documentary titled "Someone You Know". LOGLINE: Three women share their complex later abortion stories and the barriers they had to overcome to get the care they needed. SYNOPSIS: Today in America, 1 in 3 women will have an abortion before the age of 45. Less that 2% of overall abortions are performed at or after 21 weeks. Yet this demographic has become the target of political misinformation and attacks. In “Someone You Know”, we will meet 3 women who have had abortions later in their pregnancies. Bravely stepping out of the shadows to use their real names and faces, each of the women share their complex, heartbreaking and frustrating stories of having to overcome numerous burdens to get the care they needed. I am applying to secure some post production money to help me finish this film! It was shot entirely on an iphone 11 during COVID. I am working with an animator to recreate the most important aspects of each of the stories, where we don't have B-Roll like I would with a regular film.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – The cemetery of strangers

2021-06-28T00:00:00Z

My project is a short documentary on the story of a fisherman from my town. I have followed him for 3 years to film the work he does, to buried with dignity the bodies of dead migrants he finds on the beaches of the city. synprpis: Chamseddine Marzoug, a Tunisian fisherman from Zarzis, a town on the border of Libya, fights every day to ensure that the remains of migrants who died at sea are buried with dignity. This fisherman has turned his town's old landfill into a "cemetery of Strangers."

Disability – Terminally Chill

2021-04-30T00:00:00Z

"Terminally Chill" is a short-form web series consisting of ten 15-minute episodes that aims to examine terminal illness through a comedic lens to provide refreshing new representation of the Cystic Fibrosis community. The series centers on Kirsten Michelle Cills, a millennial stand-up comedian with cystic fibrosis. The series chronicles Kirsten’s ongoing struggles as she tries to find a balance between pursuing her dreams, managing her terminal illness, and keeping her cool around a seemingly never-ending cast of eccentric characters including her lazy ex-boyfriend, bumbling best friend, and gossipy boss. The team recently completed the final scripts and has begun pre-production for the series. Filming will take place in Philadelphia in the month of November for four weeks. We then expect 2-3 months of post-production to be able to release the first episode in February 2022, with subsequent episodes being released on a weekly basis after that. We plan to cross-promote and release the episodes on both Instagram and Youtube in order to make the project accessible to a wider audience who may consume content in different ways across the two platforms. While this is a fictional story, I am the professional comedian with a terminal illness. Seeing the humor in your life is not difficult; the difficulty comes from showing the humor to those who feel pity for you. “Terminally Chill” has always been my life’s project. I’ve never lived a day without Cystic Fibrosis, and as a result, I’ve never quite lived the same life that those around me do. As a young actor with a bright passion for comedy and writing, I felt a consistent struggle creating and portraying the average character because they all always seemed to have one simple thing in common: having all the time in the world. What I’ve always seen for my future is exactly what I’ve been working to accomplish with the project of ‘Terminally Chill’: a representation of life in your 20s without a moment to spare. **What our grantee is saying:** "As a terminally ill actor and comedian, I have devoted my life to using storytelling to spread awareness for Cystic Fibrosis. Winning the Awesome Foundation Disability Chapter Grant has made this dream so much more attainable, and myself and the team could not be more grateful for an opportunity such as this. Thank you thank you thank you."

Boston, MA – The Horror Advocate

2021-04-21T00:00:00Z

Update: In 2020 The Horror Advocate broke ground by using the horror genre to bring people together in the wake of a pandemic. Developed as a 3 part virtual series where I explore and detangle horror films for the masses and those who otherwise would not be exposed. The project was made to bridge generational gaps, ease the effects of isolation, and highlight a genre that unfolds human stories with dimensions and complexities. The Horror Advocate has successfully evolved into a second phase that will launch a new project. Apt, Horror is an innovative approach to community data gathering (+ analysis). The project sees theories transformed into meaningful conclusions; using the horror genre as a reputable source and grounding it as an applied practice for strategic community development. The long-term goal is for these findings to become a critical resource for any city/state/or federal officials, initiatives, or programs aspiring to better serve the underrepresented communities they were appointed to protect. I also want these findings to become a pivotal resource for community initiatives (+causes) like the innocence project, prison reform, etc. This project is designed in the spirit of adaptation— and can be replicable in other communities. Apt, Horror leads the way in leveraging pop (counter) culture knowledge as a tool to better conceive our lived reality and ignite reform across a wealth of social and political sectors. The project is currently in the trial phase and actively raising funds to support our first event in December 2022. The project will launch in full on January 2023"

you by Ava Fields --------------------------------------------------------------------- The horror advocate is a live reading and talk series centers around the social impact of the horror genre. I’ve created a series that analyzes horror movies from a social justice vantage point. These events would take place once a month starting in February 2021. The goal of this reading series is not only to create exposure for myself as a black female horror film archeologist, but also to build a new momentum around women and horror. Women and film in general. So often horror is portrayed as something out of our reach and I want to show that not only are we meant to be in this conversation we have an obligation to show up and talk about what we’re seeing and absorbing as cultural mirrors. I’m hoping people can be less afraid of what’s scripted and more afraid of what the script is trying to reveal to us about our real world. In short, it’s horror advocacy. Horror films force us to acknowledge truths we would rather turn away from. I want to share that awakening with the people in my city and encourage new perspectives. One thing we all need and deserve right now is transparency — I think this reading series will rob if’s a great outlet for the community and myself.

Disability – The Uhuru Dream House

2021-03-31T00:00:00Z

The Uhuru Dream House is a communal project to create a safe art house for disabled QTBIPOC. It will be a sacred space to create. It will also be an artist residency program & transitional living space: owned, operated and maintained by disabled Black trans people, for Black trans people. I’m creating the residency program on the property of the home I currently reside in, where disabled Black trans & intersex artists will visit New Orleans, LA. for one month to work on a project of their choice. The home will soon be completely wheelchair accessible (I am also in a wheelchair). I am acquiring all creative tools and resources necessary for artists-in-residence to create art, music and film. The residency will feature; art/music/film/tattoo studios, editing room and a stage, a Black QTI library, and community garden. I will have everything an artist could dream of having in the space so there is no creative limitation! The living space will be a short school bus, located on the property, which will be remodeled into a tiny home. The bus will offer a private space to give each artist autonomy, free of misgendering and street harassment, during their visit. Each artist will have access to a wheelchair-accessible vehicle or car. They will be offered a stipend for food and recreational activities during their stay and payment for their participation at the residency. **What our grantee is saying:** "It is the greatest honor to be recognized and supported by my community! Everyone should be prioritizing accessibility and inclusivity in everything they create. I want to be included and have access to the same spaces as my able-bodied friends and community so I would hope they would think of us in the same way and make sure we are welcomed! I am thankful for all who support my vision."

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Women's Weekend Film Challenge Virtual Series

2021-03-08T00:00:00Z

Women's Weekend Film Challenge (WWFC) works for gender equity by creating opportunities for women to bring their leadership, talents, and stories to the forefront of the film industry. In three short years, we have worked with over 700 women to produce 30 short films, which have been accepted to more than 80 festivals. This grassroots, bi-coastal movement combats the gender imbalance of the film industry by providing an intensive networking experience and telling women's stories on screen. As a response to COVID-19, WWFC launched a truly awesome project: a donation-based virtual workshop series to bring career development and networking opportunities to filmmakers around the world. Workshop guests have included Alma Har'el (director, "Honey Boy"), Kasi Lemmons (writer/director, "Harriet"), Karyn Kusama (director, "Jennifer's Body), Catherine Hardwicke (director, "Twilight"), Stella Meghie (writer/director, "The Photograph"), Elle Johnson (co-showrunner, "Self Made"), Mimi Leder (director and ep, "The Morning Show"), Leslye Headland (creator, "Russian Doll"), and many more. Our workshop topics cover every role of production, and topics have included composing, editing, intimacy coordination, writing, budgeting, cinematography and more. Attendees have the opportunity to submit their work samples (such as a directing reel or a TV series pitch) to receive direct feedback from the top women in Hollywood. Here are some stats about our virtual event series in 2020: - 12,930 donation-based tickets sold - 42 guest speakers - 52% of our guest speakers are BIPOC Our workshops are open to all and have created opportunities for filmmakers all over the world. We have heard from so many attendees that these workshops give them a creative outlet and a sense of community during a time of isolation. Most importantly, our attendees tell us that they feel inspired and more prepared to follow their dreams after each one of our workshops. Learn more: https://youtu.be/z0DcJJzoiEA

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Tidal: Healing from Psychological and Hidden Abuse

2021-02-22T00:00:00Z

TIDAL: of, relating to, caused by tides A short documentary about healing from psychological abuse The title of this short documentary references the tactics used by my ex to manipulate me. Their mood would ebb and flow like the ocean tide - sometimes loving, sometimes mean but never consistent. Like the current, they pulled me out to where I could not stand and had to tread until I could safely return to shore, only to be met by another swell that would pull me even further out than before. It is a form of mental anguish that is difficult to understand unless you’ve lived it. This documentary is an attempt at explaining that cycle so that you, the viewer, don’t have to. DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT: I am creating this short documentary about my experience dating someone on the narcissist / sociopath / anti-social personality disorder spectrum. I use spectrum because where we’re at in psychology it is still impossible to definitively diagnose these beings. However, for anyone that has gone through their tactics it is as if we share the same diary - the sam experiences in different shades. This documentary, through the use of interviews of myself as well as of other survivors, will make psychological abuse visible in order to inform and protect future targets. The goal of this documentary is to be concise and effective at identifying the narcissist / sociopath / psychopath character profile through the sharing of personal testimonies. It will be artful in its presentation, using footage of myself dancing, as a form of embodied cathartic release that the viewer can witness. I want the viewer to see my anger, my pain, and my process in healing from loving such a person. May this be a humble offering of light to survivors and a healing experience to everyone involved in the making of this film. - Katrina Lillian Sorrentino

Oakland, CA (Inactive) – Women Who Ride, Short Documentary Film

2021-01-06T00:00:00Z

WOMEN WHO RIDE is a short documentary film about D’Vious Wayz Motorcycle Club, Oakland’s first Black all-women motorcycle club. Bonded by their passion for the hum of an engine, the smell of grease, and the open road, this close-knit group of women has been together for 20 years. At the center of the film is Frankie “Tish” Edwards, the founder and President of D’Vious Wayz. Tish first started riding motorcycles in the seventies and was told year after year that the all-male motorcycle clubs would eventually change their bylaws and allow women to join as equals. Growing impatient, in 2000 Tish formed D’Vious Wayz. Her jacket is inscribed “President for Life.” Her command of both her bike and the group demonstrates her no-nonsense attitude and strong motherly instincts. Shinky, the film’s secondary character, is the newest member of D’Vious Wayz. She is a cancer survivor, mother and pursuing advanced education in business. Shinky is still getting used to her bike and navigating the dynamics of this close-knit club. Recently dwindling membership and a recent accident with Tish on a group trip that has the club shaken. 2020 was supposed to be a different kind of year for Tish and D’Vious Wayz – their 20th anniversary – a year of celebration and a year of renewal. Yet, COVID presented a series of challenges from cancelling the 20th-anniversary party, an inability to meet in person, to unexpected family issues. Despite the pandemic, Tish must find how to keep the spirit of the group alive and enjoy the open road together. Yet, she must also handle a number of growing family health issues, including her quadrapaletic son, and her husband who loses his ability to walk. The film will show the seasonality of motorcycle riding in California, and will document how a group of women come together to build a community around something they love.

Baltimore, MD – Breathing Black; Or How We Heal

2020-12-08T00:00:00Z

Breathing Black; Or How We Heal is an interactive installation and digital storytelling project that will document the Black community’s connection to joy and healing. This piece will disrupt the ongoing cycle of trauma and provide space to remind Black people to breathe and reclaim a joy that already belongs to them. These past few months have weighed on me and so many people in my community and I began to crave a depiction/experience of Black resilience. So many of us have died, our last words being, “I can’t breathe.” And, unfortunately, many of us will continue to lose our breath. But here we are breathing. Very much alive. And my piece will ask, how do we remind ourselves and each other to breathe? And, more importantly, how can we ensure that as a community we keep breathing? I believe it is here, at the place where we commemorate our joy and reckon its crucial role in our collective freedom. Breathing Black will consist of two distinct phases. Over the next few months, in collaboration with two Black videographers/photographers I will conduct 25 carefully selected Baltimore community interviews and photo sessions centering on Black Joy. The following are examples of interview questions: How do you nurture your joy? How has your joy evolved throughout your life? When you hear the phrase Ancestral joy what comes to mind? Where do you see Black Joy at its peak? The interview/photo session will conclude with photos of the interviewee doing an activity that brings them joy. The process will culminate with a wall of photographs, edited interviews projected onto a screen and a short film, titled “Our Joy Revolution!” The interviews will be projected onto a screen and the photos will be printed and used for a photo wall. Phase II will be the performance at the site of the exhibit to include a symbolic breathing ritual led by a Black breath healer. The installation will be a Black utopian space to be experienced only by those who identify as Black or African America.

Miami, FL – FLORIDA FILM POEMS

2020-10-22T00:00:00Z

Florida Film Poems is a project I began in April of 2020. During that time I was researching the historic neighborhood in Coral Gables known as the MacFarlane district as part of a larger project I was working on for a local non-profit. With my friend and local cinematographer Daniel Kaplan, I set out simply to document the street life of the neighborhood. The images that resulted left me spellbound. I stitched together the most moving shots we had captured from that day and created a short, two minute montage that I refer to as a filmic poem. Since then, I have determined other locations and individuals that have inspired me to create film poems. My approach to capturing the essence of a location on film, be it Stiltsville, my neighbor’s backyard, or a rest stop on the Turnpike, is to first study the environment. Who are the people who value these places? How do they demonstrate that? What value does an empty space hold? And most importantly, how do people find beauty there? As I continue this project indefinitely, I hope to share with the public a delicate tableau-- sometimes rugged, sometimes fragile-- woven together with the texture of life. I will offer these filmic poems online but I hope some day I can present them in public spaces around Miami.

Washington, DC – Young Men of Promise: The Power of Purple Week

2020-09-28T00:00:00Z

Domestic Violence in the Washington Metropolitan area has been on the rise in the last year. DC Safe, the largest crisis intervention agency, reported that traffic on their response line which support survivors has doubled. There has been 15 domestic related homicides within the last year and hundreds of other cases, not to include the many incidents that goes unreported. Dilcia Rodriguez, 1 of our dedicated volunteers and mother of 4 children in our Young Men of Promise (YMP) program, was 1 of those homicides. Out of the 15 homicides, 5 of them were connected to our program through friends or family. Since this epidemic is quietly impacting our community, we want to bring awareness to it by hosting our Power of Purple Week. The Power of Purple Week is a series of activities & events, in support of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and in memory of Dilcia Rodriquez. The goals of this week are to bring awareness to domestic violence, honor victims & survivors and support our local domestic violence organizations & shelters. The Power of Purple Week will feature: 1) Purple Paint & Sip- purple domestic violence themed painting lesson for 25-30 domestic violence survivors at the House of Ruth shelter 2) Purple Pamper Me- evening of beauty and massage treatments for selected domestic violence survivors who were victims of gunshots or stabbings 3) Deadly Reflection Premiere- premiere of "Deadly Reflections", a short film about a woman's struggle w/ domestic violence made by the YMP 4) Purple Thursday Candlelight Vigil- evening of guest speakers, tributes, candlelight vigil and balloon release in honor of all the men and women in our community who has lost their lives to domestic violence in the past year 5) DV Survivors Dinner- dinner for 60 domestic violence survivors and their children at the Cornerstone Building In addition, the Power of Purple Week will consist of a boys to men panel discussion on domestic violence and a tshirt fundraiser for a dv shelter.

Miami, FL – Cinemóvil

2020-05-15T00:00:00Z

Cinemóvil is a mobile repertory cinema that operates a state of the art digital projector and sound system out of a 2010 Ford Transit Connect, touring around Miami-Dade County to play films in unexpected outdoor community spaces. The project will serve as an essential conduit for exploring cultural permanence in Miami’s increasingly impermanent communities. Miami is made up almost entirely of Caribbean and Latin American exiles and expatriates, and Caribbean films are seldom programmed in local cinemas for our community to discover. So for first and second generation immigrants, it becomes increasingly more difficult to come across and connect to the works of filmmakers that come from their same regions. Even now, retrospectives of Cuban, Haitian, Puerto Rican, and Mexican filmmakers are nonexistent in Miami’s regular cinematic rotation. The answer is a mobile cinema free of barriers to entry, whose purpose is to regularly program classic and contemporary films from the places we’ve come, screened at no cost in the communities where many of us now live. Cinemóvil will serve as an essential access point to the cinematic heritage of Miami’s own citizens. The first year of Cinemóvil screenings will be divided into four quarterly series, each of which will focus on a different community in Miami-Dade County. The films selected for each series will reflect its communities’ provenances. The project will call on fellow programmers that specialize in different areas of Caribbean and Latin American cinema to assist in curating the first year’s selection. There will also be a number of community members serving in an advisory capacity to think through accessible venues and help target specific communities that Cinemóvil can reach. In total, eight feature films will screen over the course of the first year of Cinemóvil’s program, each preceded by a local short film for the city to discover.

Orlando, FL – FilmSlam

2020-05-14T00:00:00Z

FilmSlam is an independent short film screening series which showcases and celebrates the works of Florida's short filmmakers! We have always been independently organized and run by local filmmakers who have donated their time and talents to ensure Florida's novice, student, and professional filmmakers, (especially those in Central Florida) have a dedicated public place to screen their works. �� FilmSlam is a safe space for filmmakers of all ages, disciplines, backgrounds, and abilities including filmmakers who happen to be female, minority artists, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Each screening begins at 2pm, runs for 60+ minutes, and is followed by a live Q&A which broadcasts live on Facebook. All filmmaker outreach, screening curation, marketing, social media, designing of monthly ballot and programs, live-streaming, and hosting efforts are all performed independently by me. FilmSlam is truly my labour of love! In 2019, FilmSlam became endangered. We lost our public screening space in Orange County. As current host and programmer, I had to make a very quick decision; let FilmSlam slip away or attempt to keep it going myself at a new venue. I decided to keep it going at the Orlando Museum of Art, which is a big step up for our filmmakers and our audience!

Birmingham (Inactive) – Big Talks

2020-03-31T00:00:00Z

The Big Talks idea came about this year when I walked from Swanage to Gretna Green 500 miles asking people to show support for my challenge by doing an act of kindness for a stranger, I committed to visit schools along the way and share with them a short 20 minute talk on the reasons I do these challenges every year and why kindness changed my life. The response was astounding more than I thought possible. What I realised is our young people are in a drought for first hand stories of connection and inspiration. So I thought what if we could set up an event of speakers/people just like me willing to give up 20 minutes of their time to inspire our next generation, then we could make a real difference. I decided to set them up as events, where 4-6 speakers come together in one location after school with young people, parents and communities are invited in. We film the talks and place them on the platform (website/you tube channel) for schools everywhere to access. It is not only a fantastic resource for schools, clubs and parents, it has the power to bring inspiration to the place that young people are, within technology. ___ We were proud to support Big Talks with a grant, with a focus of putting inspirational talks on for school’s in Birmingham and Warwickshire. 🙌

Liverpool (Inactive) – Humanise Community Film Club: Kids Edition

2020-02-29T00:00:00Z

We want to run a kids version of our successful Humanise Community Film Club during the easter holiday. We have a group of committed, excited, young people who are into film and talking about what it means to be human. We want to hand over the reins of our project and allow them to program a public screening in April. We run a dinner event during which they will plan the next session plus a public screening which they will introduce their film choice to the public. We at One September Art will support the project along with our regular volunteers. The group includes three families who are currently engaged in a short program building an urban garden here at Metal. The group have expressed an interest in programming films and as yet we haven't been able to support them with that. Now we have a period of engagement with them until the end of March we have time to prepare them to become programmers in their own right. We want to encourage more people from the local area to participate in the project which is growing month by month. This family focused program will be part of that development and we will be doing outreach to the local area in the month before.

New York City, NY – Crown Heights Film Festival

2020-01-31T00:00:00Z

AwesomeNYC is pleased to award a grant to the Crown Heights Film Festival to help them expand to a new venue in 2020. In founder Cynthia Chatman's own words: _Since 2016, I've been organizing Crown Heights Film Festival. We bring indie short films from around Brooklyn, around the U.S. and around the world to our wonderful neighborhood. Over the course of three evenings every October, we've hosted well-attended free screenings, providing free popcorn and free bottled water. Then we follow up by serving free cookies and wine at our after party with live music - free of course._ _We feel strongly about keeping the events free for our audiences. In recent years, we've noticed a trend whereby more and more cultural institutions here in New York that used to be free or offered suggested admission, have gotten to be so expensive that they're no longer affordable for many people. We want people to feel that they can come to our screenings night after night, which many people did._ _Our submission fees are only $20 per film and we offer 50% discounts for students, and waivers to filmmakers from sanctioned countries. We’d like to expand our influence and make Crown Heights a go-to destination for viewing indie films, and for aspiring filmmakers to meet each other, learn, and collaborate._ _We're planning on starting a Crown Heights Film Festival Meetup where people can come and rate film submissions. The idea is just a seed right now, but I think it'll be a good way to engage people in our community and keep them thinking about the festival in between the screenings._

Vegan (Inactive) – Our Hands: Short Documentary Series

2020-01-13T00:00:00Z

Our Hands is a professional, short documentary series connecting the abuse of slaughterhouse workers and community pollution to suffering animals endure in the food system. The first installment, Susana, tells the story of a former slaughterhouse worker who now fiercely advocates for animals: accepted to the AmDocs 2020 Film Festival (and possibly SunDance), it is eligible for an Academy Award. Please do not share this link with anyone, as it could compromise our festival acceptance agreements: shorturl.at/cfmFI (Password: Susana2020). The second installment will tell the story of Crystal, a single mother who was sexually assaulted and placed in solitary confinement at the hands of Kansas' privatized fostercare system. Overcoming this trauma as a young adult brought Crystal to realizations about animals, motivating her to advocacy as she councils other women victimized by the system over vegan fellowship meals. Living in rural Sedgwick County, Crystal and her kids are forced to breathe pollution from nearby hog farms and sprays from monocultured fields growing feed crops. By sharing her story, our film will raise money for her to move to the city and ramp up her animal and fostercare advocacy efforts as she completes her GED. Like our first film Susana, the film Crystal will connect second-hand trauma humans experience from the first-hand violence experienced by animals. Linking these forms of empathy with film festival worthy, 5-minute films equally accessible to mass audiences on social media, we want to counter the narrative that animal advocacy is an exclusive cause detached from other issues of social justice. With your generous support, we will be much closer to funding our equipment rentals in Kansas, which my co-director and co-producer Laura Gamse (an award-winning filmmaker at Stanford) at the end of this summer. Our combined budget for the film is a modest $4,000, which we will be very close to reaching with the Awesome Foundation's support.

Miami, FL – Madame Pipi

2019-12-15T00:00:00Z

I am in the midst of creating a short documentary entitled "Madame Pipi." Working in the luxurious washrooms of South Florida’s nightlife, attending to the needs of clienteles next to toilets, has not been the ideal dream job. Madame Pipi follows the lives of three Haitian female bathroom attendants juxtaposed to the fast-paced culture of South Florida’s nightlife. The film will visually examine the determination of these women to survive economically in a gentrifying and culturally diverse society. Relatively invisible by the women who swing in and out of the bathroom stalls, the ones who do recognize these Haitian women recognize them as “Mama’s.” They provide all the essentials in the sanctuary of the washroom – they care for the inebriated – they are the advisors – they are the eyes and ears for the proprietors – they are people. While Donald Trump has labeled Haiti and other African nations a “Shithole country,” the remittances that these ladies are earning through their tips working in “shit” also is a contribution to the larger benefaction that the diaspora sends to Haiti, which are a third of country’s GDP.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Desoto Arts Institute Film Program

2019-11-11T00:00:00Z

Desoto Arts Institute is a non-profit 501(c)3 located in Southaven, MS, with the mission to support, train, educate and mentor the next generation of youth in professional fields including filmmaking and technology. DAI teaches the craft of creative and positive storytelling by providing a professional working studio environment which actively demonstrates ethics, honesty, generosity, commitment, respect, and love for one another, right here in Desoto County, Mississippi. Our team of students and adults is energetic and excited about creating art which is beautiful, uplifting, and wholesome. The DAI Film Program is an ongoing project that we run year round. We produce 3-5 short films each year with our students who serve as crew, and are planning to shoot our first feature film next year. The DAI Film Program’s primary goal is to produce short films on a regular basis with each member rotating through various roles in a film’s life cycle i.e. story, writing, directing, location scouting, production, editing, graphics, color grading, advertising, and so on. Working in various roles, each member discovers their strengths while gaining real experience for future jobs in the film industry. Our students are typically aged 13 - 22.

State College, PA – Centre Film Festival

2019-11-01T00:00:00Z

The century-old Rowland Theatre will be host to the inaugural Centre Film Festival, a weekend festival that includes award-winning feature and short films, many opportunities for intergenerational and multidimensional conversations, including visiting filmmakers who will answer questions after their films, special guests, a youth jury who will present awards at our closing ceremony, free masterclasses with our visiting artists, and a local high school competition which will encourage future filmmakers to flourish in Central PA. The films range from outdoor adventures to honoring our veterans, from roots music to the history of movie palaces. Film Students at Penn State have spearheaded a series called Caught in the Act: Behind the Scenes at the Centre Film Festival and their first episode about the woman who painted the poster can be seen here: vimeo.com/centrefilmfestival The Centre Film Festival is the first project by the Centre Film Workshop, a grassroots organization founded in the summer of 2019 to bring local stories to film and create a platform for locally relevant multimedia storytelling, dialogue and screenings. The festival’s community partners include the Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation, the Rowland Theatre, and Galaxy’s Central Intermediate Unit 10. The festival is made possible in part by the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Pennsylvania Partnership for the Arts. the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State University.

Miami, FL – Pete's Putrid Peas

2019-05-17T00:00:00Z

I’m currently fundraising for my new film, Pete’s Putrid Peas! It’s a wild and visually insane short that brings you into the world a notorious Vlogger who falls further and further out of reality while eating nothing but peas for a three week Instagram challenge. Over the last year, I haven’t felt good about my time on instagram, my social media screen-time was up to 5 hours per day and I felt like crap. I wished my shots looked liked others’ and I was trying to keep up an image on Instagram that I couldn’t. Truthfully it felt like I was slipping into a different reality, a fake reality. I decide to creatively channel this into writing a narrative/experimental film and in the process, I now feel a lot healthier about my time on social media and my screen-time is way down. Now, the next step is to make this film to spread to the 210 million people who suffer from social media addiction and exhibit depressive symptoms due to screen-time.

Washington, DC – 33 | DC'S Game

2019-04-25T00:00:00Z

“33” is unique form of basketball native to Washington, D.C. and the surrounding metropolitan area. The goal of “33” is to score 33 points against an unlimited amount of opponents. It’s a game of isolation, strategy, and effort. The game is responsible for the development of many D.C. basketball players who went on to play professionally. It requires a deep offensive and defensive understanding of the game, fostering the the next generation of elite players in Washington, D.C. My co-directors and I have created a short documentary highlighting this game and it's importance to the dc community. So far we have screened the film at Annapolis Film Festival and DC independent film festival where our film won "Best Short Documentary".

New York City, NY – Women's Weekend Film Challenge

2019-01-30T00:00:00Z

The Women's Weekend Film Challenge (WWFC) is a response to the underrepresentation of women in film which perpetuates negative stereotypes of women and can lead to harmful working environments for female filmmakers. The organization is run by Katrina Medoff and Tracy Sayre who **recruit female filmmakers and place them on crews with women in every single role of production**. WWFC provides production insurance, equipment and stipends for the crews and gives the crews one weekend to make a short film. They host a screening for all the completed films to celebrate the work and to help broadcast the talents of these filmmakers. Women's Weekend Film Challenge has two goals: * To help female-identifying filmmakers network with each other so that they can hire and recommend one another in the future. * To tell women’s stories on film with women behind and in front of the camera. In less than one year, WWFC has produced 17 short films with over 300 women. The films have gotten into several film festivals, including HBO's Women in Comedy Series, and they have won major awards, such as a the Spy Who Dumped Me Female Storyteller contest. In a recent survey, nearly 75% of our participants have gotten work based on recommendations from fellow participants of the challenge. **Their third challenge will be held from April 4-7, 2019 in NYC. Anyone who is interested in participating should [sign up for their mailing list](http://eepurl.com/du9vdr) for more details.**

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival

2018-12-24T00:00:00Z

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual event in which kid filmmakers create short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in about 90 seconds. (The Newbery Medal is the highest honor in children's literature.) The movies these kids make often have a bonkers creative twist -- think "Charlotte's Web" in the style of a horror movie, or "Holes" reimagined as a musical set in outer space! For the past 7 years, we've shown the best kid-made movies in packed-house special screenings in libraries across the country. In 2019 we have screenings scheduled in New York, Brooklyn, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Oakland, Salt Lake City, Tacoma, and other cities. These FREE events are co-hosted by me (founder James Kennedy) and other award-winning kids' authors. We receive over 500 movies per year. All of these kid-made movies, regardless of quality, gets a positive and encouraging review on the 90-Second Newbery website. Librarians, teachers, and young filmmakers have appreciated the personal attention each movie receives. Additionally, the lineup of the movies at each screening changes from city to city to highlight local entries. Kids who make a movie who happen to live in a city with a screening have an excellent chance of seeing their movie featured on the big screen, to be enjoyed by hundreds! These participants bring their friends and family to the screenings, which gives us consistently packed-house audiences. In many schools and libraries, the making and the celebrating of their 90-Second Newbery movies has become a traditional annual event that folks look forward to all year. The project has 3 major prongs: (1) the book-to-movie filmmaking workshops I teach in libraries and schools in the fall, (2) the 14-city tour of screenings in the spring, and (3) the affirming personalized reviews of each and every movie on the 90-Second Newbery website.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – FCFCEP Child Welfare Film Festival and Symposium

2018-11-19T00:00:00Z

OVERVIEW: The Foster Care Film & Community Engagement Project (FCFCEP) is a grassroots, volunteer-run, effort which provides current and former foster youth the opportunity to share their stories through film, writing, art, and public speaking. Our mission is threefold: 1. To share rarely heard foster youth stories 2. To provide foster youth professional development opportunities 3. To create a greater understanding of the foster care system among a wide, general audience. EVENT DETAILS: In May 2019, during National Foster Care Month, we will host a Child Welfare Film Festival and Symposium in NYC to raise public awareness and give foster youth a chance to be heard. The event will consist of film screenings, Q&A’s and discussion panels. Select documentaries from our own film series will be screened throughout the festival alongside curated films by other artists. We will have an open call for film submissions; entries will be judged for inclusion by foster care alumni and film professionals. This will empower foster youth by giving them a say in how they are portrayed in the media, and help create a more accurate public representation of the child welfare system. All films will address topics such as abuse, neglect, mental health, substance abuse, sibling separation, adoption, identity and other themes which often affect foster youth and are portrayed in our series thus far. Short films invited to screen will be grouped by theme and foster youth, foster parents and social workers will speak on the selected themes following each screening. We will host three events; each will be 2.5 hours and will include a 90 minute film screening and Q&A, followed by a 60 minute discussion panel. Attendees will have the opportunity to stay after the formal event is over to continue the conversation.

Awesome Without Borders (Inactive) – Lucky

2018-10-01T00:00:00Z

The oldest daughter of a New York City taxi driver has dreams of becoming a doctor. Can the future still hold surprises even when her life has been planned for her since the age of eight? 'Lucky' is a 15-minute experimental animated documentary short that follows the real life of Lucky Kaur in the United States and in India from 2001 to 2018. Lucky comes from a religious Sikh family that takes pride in its rich Punjabi heritage. Despite only having come to Brooklyn, New York from India at the age of sixteen, Lucky learns English rapidly, excels at school, and starts to cultivate some very modern American ambitions. When her arranged marriage inches ever closer, Lucky must walk a tightrope between two cultures, as fate and tradition threaten to take her decisions away little by little. Lucky lives her life trying to simultaneously honor two very different world views until dramatic circumstances force her to finally choose between religions and cultures. "Lucky" is currently in production and is set to be completed in 2019. I am an independent animator and artist who uses a combination of hand-painted digital images, paintings, photographs, audio interviews, and actual video footage to create my narratives. I originally made an early video version of Lucky's story back in 2006 that screened in several international film festivals. However, I wanted to rework and update the story as well as completely redo the visuals as animation. In April of 2018 Lucky approached me via email asking if I would continue telling her story and show her current life as an evangelical Christian preacher in an African American church in South Carolina. It was the same week my university, American University of Myanmar was forced to close for political and financial reasons. I said yes. This film aims to highlight the tragedy of what happens when bright, young people are denied an education and how they can move forward despite facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Baltimore, MD – New Live Score (Adventures of Prince Achmed)

2018-08-16T00:00:00Z

Sweaty Eyeballs is a monthly independent animation series curated by myself, Phil Davis, and screened at the Parkway Theatre in Baltimore. Past programming has included both feature animations and shorts, free screenings for students and discussions with a diverse range of animators from all parts of the world. For our October 2018 program, we are attempting something spectacular with the pairing of an historic masterpiece, and a live, original, musical score from 12 regional musicians and one Foley sound effects artist. The Adventures of Prince Achmed by German animator Lotte Reiniger is considered the first feature-length silent animation and was made in 1926. The film is made with paper cut-out silhouette animation, telling the tale of a prince who overcomes the deception of an evil sorcerer, and embarks on a wondrous adventure, finding love and comradery. Our goal is to breathe new life into the film by creating an original score composed by regional musicians and sound artists, and perform it live. The film is 67 minutes long and has been assigned to six musicians/bands in 10-15-minute segments. The unique scores will range from improvisational to formally written, with the purposeful plan of offering the audience multiple sound experiences in a single film, through a broad range of musical styles and instrumentation. Along with the musical accompaniment, a professional Foley sound effects artist will be creating live sound effects to the entire film. A 35mm print of The Adventures of Prince Achmed has already been secured for the screening. The programming will consist of two screenings, each with live musical accompaniment, on Saturday October 13th at the Parkway Theatre. Between the two screenings will be a free silhouette animation workshop teaching puppet building, lighting techniques, and animating with a smartphone to get community members excited about the techniques used in the film and encourage them to try animating themselves.