The Global Film Initiative was created to promote cross-cultural understanding through the medium of cinema. Although American film continues to thrive in the global marketplace, developing world filmmaking has suffered from shifting economic conditions in film financing and distribution. As a result, audiences in the United States have been denied the rich cultural lessons these films have to offer.

The Initiative has developed four complementary programs, all involving film from the developing world, to address this situation:

• Granting
• Acquisitions
• Distribution
• Education

The Distribution Program

Granting Program | Acquisitions Program | Distribution Program | Education Program

Twenty years ago, virtually every city in America had a commercial movie theater devoted to foreign language films and thousands of film societies exposed young people throughout the United States to foreign language film in schools and universities. Now most cities are lucky to get a one-week "foreign film festival" to spotlight this work — and there are fewer than two dozen film societies still in operation devoted to films with subtitles.

The Initiative sees these reductions as a void in this nation’s cultural life. As people get exposed less and less to foreign language film, and especially films from the developing world, a negative cycle begins: people lose their taste for other cultures and are less aware about the world beyond America’s borders. Fewer foreign language films then enter the distribution system, and so on.

The Traveling Series ensures that the best of developing world cinema is available on screens throughout the United States, with a particular focus on films in languages other than English. Ten films that represent the diversity and excellence of cinema from the developing world are chosen from the Initiative’s Granting and Acquisitions programs by the Initiative, in collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art, New York (MoMA). MoMA launched the program in an annual series (Global Lens) in New York City, November 2003 and the films go to 14 to 18 major cultural institutions each year. Partners have been invited to participate based on their demonstrated excellence in community outreach, commitment to broad educational programming and regional balance.

First Run Features Distribution Partnership
In May 2004, the Initiative completed the most ambitious plan ever created for developing world films in the United States by finalizing a comprehensive distribution partnership with First Run Features for all Initiative titles in North American theatrical, semi-theatrical, television, cable, and home video markets. First Run’s expertise in these areas will ensure that Initiative films reach the broadest possible audience in the U.S. and Canada.

New York-based First Run, an established and esteemed distributor of foreign and independent films and documentaries, also will assist us with distribution to the educational market via its sister company, First Run/Icarus Films.

The Initiative will continue to hold the copyright to all films. Together we will be creating a dynamic collaboration co-branding all releases.

Additional information about First Run Features may be found at www.firstrunfeatures.com. For general sales inquiries, contact First Run Features at 212-243-0600 or send an e-mail to global@firstrunfeatures.com. If you are an educator and would like to purchase films and study guides for classroom use, contact First Run/Icarus Films at 718-488-8900.