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The Global Lens film series can be seen in more than 35 locations across the United States and Canada, and is also available in home video, television, educational, theatrical, internet and airline markets. Since its launch, the series has provided a platform for exceptional storytelling and opened a window into the diverse world in which we live.
NEWS: SOLD-OUT SCREENINGS HIGHLIGHT GLOBAL LENS AT PALM SPRINGS MUSEUM OF ART
 For the second straight year, the Palm Springs Art Museum is drawing record audiences to its presentation of Global Lens! The masterminds behind the packed houses and sold–out showings are Bob Bogard (Director of Marketing Communications) and Robert Brasier (Deputy Director of Education and Public Programs) — the two individuals responsible for first bringing the series to Palm Springs.
"The success we have achieved with [Global Lens] is due in a very large part to the excellence of the films," says Bogard. "Some of the positive feedback that we receive about the series is that it depicts regions of the world that few of the attendees have seen — this is our second year showing this series and we are extremely impressed."
Global Lens "film ticker" on the Palm Springs Museum of Art's website
However, good films aren't the only reason for the Museum's success with Global Lens. A media "blitz" by Bogard and Brasier, coupled with creative marketing of the series, is also responsible for enticing filmgoers to what is quickly becoming an annual event in one of the nation's premier film cities. And, as Bogard mentions, this dynamic approach "helps cultivate a loyal following from the attendees and makes the individual guests feel like they are participating in a special event."
Palm Springs is just one of several trendsetting venues hosting Global Lens — check our Now Playing section below to see who else is taking the series in new directions!
Interested in hosting Global Lens? Email us!
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NEWS: PAKISTANI CONEY ISLAND WINS FIRST WING IT! CONTEST
Priyanka Pruthi's video Pakistani Coney Island is winner of the inaugural edition of the Global Film Initiative and Virgin America airline's Wing It! student contest! Her video is an insider's look at Brooklyn's vibrant Pakistani community, and includes unique footage of Coney Island's Makki Mosque and community center.
“In my film, I attempted to gain an insight into the Pakistani community in New York City; to capture their experiences, their ambitions, their fears and their hopes,” Priyanka explains. “The sounds of the Friday prayers at the Makki Mosque, the haggling in saree shops and the sight of little boys dressed in pathan suits transported me straight from New York to Lahore.”
Watch Pakistani Coney Island!
Wing It! is now accepting submissions for its new theme: "Travel Diary!" Entries must be postmarked by October 15th and winners receive two roundtrip tickets on Virgin America airlines — read the complete contest details here, then enter for a chance to win!
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NEWS: NEVADA HUMANITIES COUNCIL AWARDS “GLOBAL LENS GRANT” TO TRUCKEE MEADOWS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
 The Nevada Humanities Council recently awarded Truckee Meadows Community College a grant to host the Global Lens 2009 series in Nevada! This is the first–ever state Humanities Council grant received by a Global Lens partner, with funds supporting local screenings in Reno, and also statewide screenings in Nevada.
Neil Siegel, Reference Librarian at Truckee Meadows Community College, is the driving force behind Global Lens in Nevada. His unique approach to the film series — including a publicity–plan created by the College's marketing and business students — was key to securing the grant, along with his enthusiasm for the mission of Global Lens.
“The Global Lens film series opens us to a larger world; a world where other realities, forces at large, values and survival instincts prevail. In this world, people triumph on a daily basis against the odds or deal with the grim truths of their world,” Siegel said about the series. “Thanks to Global Lens, the world is smaller and our understanding of it is much larger.”
For more information on Global Lens in Nevada, or details about the Nevada Humanities Council support obtained by Truckee Meadows, contact us. Top of Page
EDUCATION: WORLD CINEMA WEEK CREATES A “BUZZ”
The Initiative's newest educational screening program, World Cinema Week, had a successful debut this spring at high schools, universities and colleges across the nation — from New York to Washington State.
“Celebrating World Cinema Week was an opportunity for our community to come together and share a common experience through international film,” said Michael O'Byrne, International Baccalaureate teacher at Interlake High School in Bellevue, Washington. “I knew our film festival was a success,” said O'Byrne. “The whole school was buzzing.”
World Cinema Week is a spring counterpart to International Education Week screenings sponsored by the Initiative, and complements year-round educational screenings presented by partners hosting the Global Lens film series. For more information about World Cinema Week read our press release.
Interested in attending an educational screening, or hosting a film screening at your school? Email us!
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FESTIVALS: DIRECTOR CHRIS CHONG CHAN FUI ON THE PREMIERE OF KARAOKE AT CANNES
“Premiering at Cannes in Directors' Fortnight was unexpected and an honor. [Karaoke] is a long-form work that deals with a narrative feature film structure, so being accepted into Cannes gave me confidence to continue manipulating dialogue and story lines. It was also an ideal way to give thanks to the cast and crew who helped make the film happen.”
Karaoke was awarded a grant during the Intiative's Winter 2009 granting cycle, and is one of four GFI-supported films to premiere in Cannes 2009:
KARAOKE
Chris Chong Chan Fui, Malaysia
Directors' Fortnight/Cannes 2009
2009 GFI grant recipient
INDEPENDENCIA
Raya Martin, Philippines
Un Certain Regard/Cannes 2009
2008 GFI grant recipient
HUACHO
Alejandro Fernández Almendras, Chile
Critics' Week/Cannes 2009
2007 GFI grant recipient
BAD DAY TO GO FISHING
Álvaro Brechner, Uruguay
Critics' Week/Cannes 2009
2006 GFI grant recipient
“The GFI grant was not only financial, but also an act of faith in the project,” Chan Fui explains. “It's nice to know there is someone out there willing to stand behind you without compromise. It is vital to receive support from GFI so that Malaysian stories can be realized despite problems and despite consequences. Regardless of a country's issues, images still need to be made, and stories still need to be told.”
Read the press release about GFI grant-recipients at Cannes 2009 here, and stay tuned for the upcoming announcement of our Summer 2009 grant-awards.
For more information about the Granting Program, click here.
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NOW PLAYING: GLOBAL LENS!
Global Lens 2009 is now playing in the following locations:
• Tampa, FL: Gasparilla International Film Festival (February 26th — August 31st)
• Palm Springs, CA: Palm Springs Art Museum (June 11th — December 31st)
• Miami, FL: Miami Beach Cinematheque (June 24th — November 18th)
• Orlando, FL: Orlando Museum of Art (July 10th — November 1st)
• St. Louis, MO: St. Louis International Film Festival (August 1st — December 31st)
• Winchester, VA: Shenandoah University (August 1st — December 31st)
• Jackson, MS: Crossroads Film Society (August 21st — November 6th)
The Asia Society and GFI are co-presenting films from the Global Lens collection in India! Upcoming screenings include:
• Mumbai, India: National Centre
for the Performing Arts (July 10th — September 19th)
• New Delhi, India: India International
Centre (August 12th — August 31st)
Fly Virgin America airlines and watch Global Lens films! Here's what's now playing:
Global Lens 2009: Possible Lives, Those Three, Song From the
Southern Seas, The Photograph, Getting Home, I Am from Titov Veles
Global Lens 2008: Opera Jawa, The Fish Fall in Love, Bunny Chow, Kept & Dreamless
Link TV is broadcasting films from the Global Lens collection. See the program schedule and check out these upcoming showings:
July 31st & August 1st: Bunny Chow (Global Lens 2008)
August 7th & August 8th: Kilometre Zero (Global Lens 2007)
August 14th & August 15th: Nada + (Global Lens 2003/2004)
August 21st & August 22nd: Rachida (Global Lens 2003/2004)
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PERSPECTIVES: ASHLEY YANG
“My recent trip to Kenya served as a perfect complement to my internship experience at GFI. A visit to the Kibera slum and direct interaction with Kenyans opened my eyes to the culture, the people, and particularly the stories that need to be shared with others. The Global Lens Series uses film to bring these far away, hidden experiences to an American audience. I look forward to seeing a Kenyan film in the series soon!” —Ashley Yang, GFI Intern and Communications Major at University of California, Berkeley Top of Page
INDUSTRY: GFI + SF FILM SOCIETY, JOIE DE VIVRE AND MORE!
GFI recently participated in a number of film events in the San Francisco Bay Area, including festival juries and panels on film financing. Invitations include:
• The San Francisco Film Society/Film Arts Forum: Think Like a Funder
June 15, 2009
Director of Programs Santhosh Daniel discussed with filmmakers and industry professionals what funders “look for” when funding films for production.
left-right: Cynthia Kane and Erica Deiparine Sugars (ITVS), Holly Million (author of Fear-Free Fundraising), Santhosh Daniel (GFI), and Ellen Schneider (Active Voice)
• 2009 San Joaquin International Film Festival
May 14—23, 2009
Director of Public Relations & Business Development Chris Wiggum served on the Festival's Narrative Feature Jury, and presented the Best Narrative Feature Prize at the Opening Night ceremony.
left-right: Chris Wiggum (GFI) and Sophoan Sorn (SJIFF)
• 2009 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
March 12—22, 2009
Santhosh Daniel served on the Festival's Documentary Feature Jury, and presented the Best Documentary Feature Prize at the Closing Night ceremony.
• GFI Industry Reception
June 29, 2009
GFI co–hosted an industry reception with Joie de Vivre Hospitality at the Custom Lounge in the Americania — a Joie de Vivre hotel. The Center for Asian American Media, LucasFilm, San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, ITVS and the Disposable Film Festival, along with GFI and Joie de Vivre staff, were among the many attendees.
left-right: Emily Oestreicher (Joie de Vivre), Jeremy Quist (GFI),
Jami Holland (Joie de Vivre), and Marita Murphy (GFI)
Stay tuned! GFI will be sponsoring another industry reception in August!
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DONATE: SUPPORT THE GLOBAL FILM INITIATIVE!
This year we award our 75th grant to a deserving filmmaker, and celebrate the sixth year of our Education Program, which has now reached over 20,000 students. Such programs and grants are a vital resource for filmmakers internationally, and audiences locally — and your contribution can increase their impact.
Click the button to make a donation!
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NEWS: GFI IN THE PRESS
   
Orlando Magazine: Beyond Borat
by Jay Boyar
“A series of 10 films, including one from Kazakhstan, is coming to the Orlando Museum of Art. Wow wow wee wah!”
The San Francisco Chronicle: Industry Buzz — Grants await filmmakers
by Hugh Hart
“The Global Film Initiative is handing out a fresh round of $10,000 grants to help moviemakers complete their projects.”
Screen Daily: GFI announces winter grant recipients
by Jeremy Kay
“Since its inception in 2002, the initiative has awarded more than 70 grants to projects from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.”
The Daily Toreador: Film series continues to bring cultural understanding to Tech
by Chrystal Grant
“Students may find it easier to understand social issues through film versus the classroom...”
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NEWS: FILMS AND FILMMAKERS
Víctor Arregui, director of the Ecuadorian film My Time Will Come, was interviewed for a feature in the Spanish-language paper La Oferta prior to his film's screening at Cinequest 2009 (February 25th—March 8th). Featured in Global Lens 2009.
Getting Home, by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yang, was selected for a “Best of the Fest” encore screening at the 27th Minneapolis–St. Paul International Film Festival (May 1st—7th).
Global Lens 2009.
Alive!, by Albanian filmmaker Artan Minarolli, had its world premiere in competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic (July 3rd—11th). GFI grant awarded in 2006.
Ramchand Pakistani, by Pakistani filmmaker Mehreen Jabbar, won the Audience Award at the Fribourg International Film Festival in Switzerland (March 14th—21st). GFI grant awarded in 2007.
Leo's Room, by Uruguayan filmmaker Enrique Buchichio, was one of eight films selected for the Rencontres Cinémas d'Amérique Latine in Toulouse, France (March 20th—29th). GFI grant awarded in 2006.
Jermal, by Indonesian filmmaker Ravi L. Bharwani, was an official selection of the 19th African, Asian and Latin American Film Festival in Milan, Italy (March 23rd—29th). GFI grant awarded in 2006.
Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly, by Indonesian director Edwin was an official selection of the Seattle International Film Festival (May 21st—June 14th). GFI Grant Awarded in 2008.
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REVIEWS: GLOBAL LENS 2009
 Getting Home — MSPIFF 2009 Part Two
Joe's Movie Reviews — Tuesday, April 28, 2009
“A fascinating travelogue of rural China, a look at areas and types of people that never make the news…as well as an examination of how the old values haven't always survived completely intact into the modern age.” Click here for entire article.
 An Seh / Those Three
FLIXVIEW — April 22, 2009
“Stark, beautiful imagery, thoughtful bursts of vitality and humor, a puzzling narrative structure, and a fine cast contribute to a deeply moving art film.” Click here for entire article.
 Song From the Southern Seas
vita.mn — April 19, 2009
“Majestic panoramas of the Kazakh Steppe and allegorical puppet sequences provide a mythical feel to the story.” Click here for entire article.
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NEW ON DVD:
BUNNY CHOW AND KEPT & DREAMLESS
Global Lens films are out on video — buy these new releases now!
Bunny Chow
Director: John Barker
South Africa
Three up-and-coming comedians head out on a road trip, abandoning rules, reason and girlfriends to find music and the meaning of life in the “new” South Africa. Global Lens 2008
Kept & Dreamless
Director: Vera Fogwill and Martín Desalvo
Argentina
Set during Argentina's economic crisis of the nineties, a drug-addicted mother struggles to keep her life afloat with the aid of her fiercely affectionate nine year-old daughter. Global Lens 2008
Coming August 18th:
The Fish Fall in Love
Director: Ali Raffi
Iran
A group of resourceful women use food to convince a stubborn businessman to allow them to continue operating a restaurant in a building he owns.
Global Lens 2008
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NEWS: FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER
Join our social network!
Keep up to date with the latest news from GFI through our online communities! View trailers, post to the message board or network with filmmakers from around the world on our Facebook page.
Receive news, notes and links to the latest information about GFI and Global Lens by following us on Twitter!
(Be sure to add us as a friend on Facebook or click “follow” on Twitter to sign up!)
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ABOUT THE GLOBAL FILM INITIATIVE:
The Global Film Initiative is a U.S.–based, not–for–profit organization specializing in the support of independent film from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Founded in 2002 to promote cross–cultural understanding through the language of cinema, the Initiative awards numerous grants to deserving filmmakers from around the world each year, and supports a touring film series entitled Global Lens. For more information about the Global Lens film series and Global Film Initiative programs, please visit our website or contact us at gfi–info@globalfilm.org.
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