Are documentary films changing the world?

Tribeca Film Festival Talk, SVA-2, April 24, 2:30pm, with Michael Collins(Give Up Tomorrow), & Abigail Disney

Panel discussion @SVA-2 Theater
HTC G2 Image by Wen Wen Lin 

This is absolutely a very exciting week-- with so many inspiring talks by the sharpest heads in the industry in different venues in Manhattan.  I am sooooooooooo immersed!!! :))  Today's talk that i went to is about documentary film, social activism, and social transformation.

Give Up Tomorrow: directed by Michael Collins
http://www.pacodocu.com/

(1) do you want to change the world?  make a documentary film:  make a film that is more than a film-- There are numerous examples of how a successful documentary film change how people think, and subsequently change the world, all through grass root marketing.  e.g, The Inconvenient Truth; No Impact Man; Hell and Back Again, etc., and some even impact the community while filming or before the film is finished, e.g., The Bully Project.  Today's documentary film makers set out to raise important issues, challenge assumptions, and able to compel action after the audience watch the movie, followed by productive discussion.   A new film group has been created: the co-operation of film makers with NGOs and community groups has created a new distribution model--for social change, for the greater, and better.... WORLD.

Directed by Lee Hirsch, http://www.thebullyproject.com/the-film.html

(2) Be a good story teller:  this one is for the documentary film maker.  Don't bore your audience with mere FACTS:  no matter what type of film it is-- be fiction, or based on truth story, or documentary film, happens as it goes along-- the film maker have to make sure that it is as good as a film can be, as persuasive as to tell a good story, use the strategy and story telling skill, and as "politically driven, but as aesthetically dressed as possible." Then the film can impact the audience more, than the action of change will take place.  The EMOTIONAL STORY LINE has to touch ppl, have to resonate with them enough to arouse reaction and action.

Thank you for reading, good night, and be well-- sogno d'oro......
Wen Wen da Neuvo Yorku 

Directed by Vicki Abeles; http://www.racetonowhere.com/

there are so many further readings on this topic: just to list a few:
against bullying and teaches kid to place kindness above malice:
http://www.kindnessabovemalice.org/

Documentary film and social change:
https://webspace.utexas.edu/cherwitz/www/ie/samples/aguayo.pdf

Global change film festival:
http://www.socialchangefilmfestival.org