AFI PROJECT: 20/20 Update

2008 December

AFI Project: 20/20 Films & Filmmakers @ Santa Fe Film Festival

The award winning filmmakers of American Film Institute (AFI) Project: 20/20 - Kief Davidson's Kassim the Dream, Jody Lambert's Of all the Things and and Daniel Junge's Iron Ladies of Liberia - participate in SFFF screening and "...shared their thoughts during a lively panel discussion on Global and Social Filmmaking...". And here's a pix of the innovative auteurs - Kief Davidon, Jody Lambert and Daniel Junge - at SFFF below:

Stacey Marbrey / American Film Institute

Stacey Marbrey, Producer of 20/20, was kind enough to explain the global program to us. "It's an American Film Institute (AFI) international initiative designed to enhance cultural exchange, understanding and collaboration through filmmakers and their films from the US and abroad. It is an unprecedented cultural diplomacy effort that is the only international filmmaker touring exchange program supported by all of America's cultural agencies--National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) -- and the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. AFI PROJECT: 20/20 introduces a multicultural roster of films signifying a universal perspective that challenges us to examine, reflect and celebrate diversity."

Posted By Reserve Result (RR)

2008 November

Congratulations to Kief Davidson, Alexandra Westmeier and Richie Mehta for their recent top honors.

Kief Davidson is AFI FEST 2008 present by Audi dual recipient of the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the documentary category for his film KASSIM THE DREAM.

Alexandra Westmeier's film ALONE IN FOUR WALLS received the University Award for best feature documentary during the Lisbon International Documentary Film Festival (Doclisboa) in Portugal.

AMAL, Richie Mehta's film was honored with the Indira Mahindra Award for Best Film during the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival.

2008 October

AFI PROJECT: 20/20 ANNOUNCES
NEW FILMMAKERS AT AFI FEST

Filmmaker exchange program and cultural diplomacy effort begins third year

November 2, 2008 (Los Angeles) - Seven American and international filmmakers participating in AFI PROJECT: 20/20 for 2008-2009 made their debut at the 2008 AFI FEST presented by Audi. The announcement was made by the American Film Institute and its federal partners--the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)--who are collaborating in support of this unprecedented international cultural exchange program that seeks to engage audiences here and abroad through filmmakers and their films.

"The universal language of film allows audiences to experience the rich and diverse lives of people in the world around us. For the President's Committee and its federal cultural partners, AFI PROJECT: 20/20 is special because we help other people get to know about our differences and engage them through these talented artists about those things that hold us together as human beings," says Adair Margo, PCAH Chairman

The new films and filmmakers in AFI PROJECT: 20/20 are: KASSIM THE DREAM directed by Kief Davidson (US); SKIN directed by Anthony Fabian (UK); IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA co-directed by Daniel Junge (US) and Siatta Scott Johnson (Liberia); OF ALL THE THINGS directed by Jody Lambert (US); AMAL directed by Richie Mehta (Canada); THROW DOWN YOUR HEART directed by Sascha Paladino (US); and ALONE IN FOUR WALLS directed by Alexandra Westmeier (Germany). (press release - click here to down load )

2008 June

In April, filmmakers Doug Pray (BIG RIG) and Mohammed Naqvi (SHAME) conducted workshops and screenings at several universities in Vilnius, Lithuania, including the Film Academy.

Hubbel Palmer, AMERICAN FORK writer and actor, screened his film in Seoul and Busan, South Korea.

Currently, Amie Williams (NO SWEAT), Jay Craven (DISAPPEARANCES) and Alberto Arvelo (CYRANO FERNANDEZ) are participating as jurors at the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival in Israel. Along with their panelist duties, the filmmakers are conducting master classes at the Jerusalem Cinematheque, Tel Aviv University, Sam Spiegel School Film and Television and Israeli Documentary Filmmakers Forum.

2008 March 21

AFI PROJECT: 20/20 Filmmaker Mohammed Naqvi is one of eight recipients who will receive the first annual "Television With a Conscience" award from the American Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for his film SHAME. "Television With a Conscience" recognizes "programming that presents issues of concern to our society in a compelling, emotional and insightful way... that enlightens and educates, creates awareness and instigates positive change with regards to social... issues."

AFI PROJECT: 20/20 filmmakers Weijun Chen (PLEASE VOTE FOR ME), Andreas Dalgaard (AFGHAN MUSCLES), Jeffrey Schwarz (SPINE TINGLER! THE WILLIAM CASTLE STORY) and Salif Traore (FARO, GODDESS OF THE WATER) have been invited to screen their films during AFI DALLAS International Film Festival, March 27 - April 6.

Directly after AFI DALLAS, Traore, Chris Bowman (AMERICAN FORK), Doug Pray (BIG RIG), JB Rutagarama (BACK HOME) and David Boyle (BIG DREAMS LITTLE TOKYO) will attend a week long cross-cultural film series at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. The filmmakers will have the opportunity to talk in-depth with students about all aspects of the American and international filmmaking process during Master Workshops.

2008 March 7

AFI PROJECT: 20/20 filmmakers won honors at the Gasparilla Film Festival, Tampa Bay, Florida. Chris Bowman's AMERICAN FORK won the Grand Jury Prize, Doug Pray's BIG RIG received Special Mention and Alberto Arvelo received the Audience Award for best documentary for TOCAR Y LUCHAR.

In addition to screening his film, Doug Pray had an opportunity to sit on two panels discussing International Film Distribution and Budget Techniques for Producing Films at the International Academy of Design and Technology.

Recently AFI PROJECT: 20/20 Filmmaker Jay Craven returned from a screen educational tour in Venezuela. Craven screened his film DISAPPEARANCES at the National Cinematheque in Caracas and conducted workshops on narrative and documentary filmmaking at Venezuela's only film school in Merida.

In the months to come AFI PROJECT: 20/20 participants will screen their films and conduct filmmaking workshops at festivals and universities in Dallas, Chicago, Washington, Lithuania, South Korea, Israel and South Africa.

2008 January

Filmmakers Chris Bowan (AMERICAN FORK) and Salif Traore (FARO, GODDESS OF THE WATER) are on a cultural exchange tour, screening their films in Turkey.

2007 November

During AFI FEST 2007 presented by Audi, PROJECT: 20/20 announced its second year with seven new filmmakers. Two were honored with top Festival honors. Andreas Dalsgaard was awarded Best Documentary for AFGHAN MUSCLES and Jeffrey Schwarz was honored with the Audience Award for SPINE TINGLER! THE WILLIAM CASTLE STORY.

2007 June

From May 17 - June 4, 2007, AFI PROJECT: 20/20 filmmakers Jay Cravens (DISAPPAREARANCES), Chad Lowe (BEAUTIFUL OHIO), Norman Maake (HOMECOMING) and JB Rutagarama (BACK HOME) traveled to South Africa. During their visit, the filmmakers worked with organizations in Capetown, Johannesburg and Pretoria, including the Cape Film Commission, the US Consulate (Cape Town) and the US Embassy (Pretoria). On one day, all of the filmmakers went to the Nyanga township, to screen their films. In Johannesburg, screenings were followed by discussions at the Constitutional Court, and presentations to students at Johannesburg's leading film schools. In Pretoria and Polowane, the filmmakers reached university audiences at three campuses. Craven and Maake screened their films for over 100 university students over the course of the three-day program, which traveled to the Technical University of Tshwane (TUT), the University of Pretoria and the University of Limpopo in northern South Africa.

Photos from AFI PROJECT: 20/20 in South Africa

Upcoming regions slated for AFI PROJECT: 20/20 programs in the second half of 2007 include: Venezuela, Israel, Azerbaijan, Turkey and South Korea.

2007 March

Julie Stephens, with her film LIFE AFTER TOMORROW, visited Kuwait from March 8 - 15, hosted by the US embassy in that country. Julie spoke with artists from Kuwait at the Kuwait Cinema Club, the National Works Museum, Kuwait University and the American University of Kuwait.

Video from Julie's trip to Kuwait

2007 February

AFI PROJECT: 20/20 participants are immersed in the third phase of the program. Working closely with cultural institutions abroad and in cooperation with US embassies and consulates in Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America, the filmmakers are attending film festivals and cultural events, presenting their work to audiences.