Last night was the premiere of the always amazing Media That Matters Film Festival, presented by Arts Engine and Cinereach.   This year the topics of the films ranged from why the US uses so much paper to urban housing in Detroit to the affect of the US drug war on Bolivia to climate change on the Carteret Islands.

All of the films from the premiere are now available online at http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org.

A few of my favorites are linked below:

The Secret Life of Paper

Will I Be Next?

The Next Wave

Give a watch and be sure to check out all the take action links on the film’s pages.  Each Media That Matters film links to multiple ways you can take action!

The amazing Arts Engine and the inspiring Cinereach have decided to team up in an effort to make it easier for young socially conscious filmmakers to create work.

They will be working together on the annual Media That Matters Film Festival and plan on expanding the workshops and resources that are offered to the filmmakers in the short film festival that is focused on films that inspire social change.  They will also be putting out a weekly column together called 90 Second Cinema.  The column will focus on media that is making a difference (media that matters) and will be published on Arts Engine website.

This is very exciting news for all young filmmakers who wish to explore the issues facing our world and for those who like to watch films about the issues facing our world - as we can’t see new and exciting work if filmmakers don’t have the resources they need to make it.

Below is the new beautiful promo vid for the fest and two of my favorite Media That Matters films from last year. Enjoy and be sure to read up about this year’s collaborative fest. Read the rest of this entry >>

The world premiere of the annual Media That Matters Film Festival has been announced!

The event will take place on June 3rd and will feature 12 inspiring short films and tons of ways you can get involved with the issues they present. It is an evening not to be missed.

More info below:

Arts Engine is pleased to announce the world premiere of the ninth annual Media That Matters Film Festival in New York City!

Media That Matters: MORE THAN A FESTIVAL
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
6:00-9:00 pm
School of Visual Arts (SVA)
Visual Arts Theater
333 West 23rd Street
New York, NY
The theater is accessible by wheelchair.

BUY TICKETS HERE

More on the films as the festival nears!

There are so many movies that you could watch to celebrate Black History Month, but I’ve chosen ten that really stand out and might not be on everyone’s list.  So, if you haven’t seen them, make a point of checking them out this month.  (Hat Tip to Filmmaker M.K. Asante Jr. and Media Rights for some inspiration).

10. Crips and Bloods: Made in America

Director Stacy Peralta’s latest documentary traces the history of Los Angeles’ notorious gangs and uncovers it’s surprising foundation within the Watts riots and the Civil Rights movement.

9. Hungu

This beautifully animated short film, part of YouTube’s celebration of Black History Month, traces the history of the Hungu, an ancient African instrument.

Read the rest of this entry >>

Just in time for the gadget-giving holidays, Electronic Recyclers International unveiled the largest and most efficient e-waste shredder today, and it’s ready to safely dispose of all your soon-to-be obsolete electronics.  And while maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to accumulate and toss the e-toys in the first place, it’s certainly reassuring to know that steps are being taken to properly dispose of electronic waste.  As we’ve discussed here at TakePart, electronic recycling programs don’t always measure up (particularly in China), just check out E-waste from the Media that Matters film festival:

takepart with Media Rights to find out what you can do with your e-waste this holiday season.

OK OK, so after watching this awesome TED video, I ended up watching more TED videos and I found this one especially interesting as well.  It features Franco Sacchi and he discusses the “ollywood” most people forget about - Nigeria’s Nollywood along with “guerrilla filmmaking” and making films that matter and make a difference.

takepart and also takepart to watch more TED videos all about Media That Matters (including one with Participant’s own Jeff Skoll!)

If you don’t appreciate the delicacy that is asparagus, you probably haven’t had it prepared properly, and you also probably haven’t seen Asparagus! Stalking the American Life. Well, fortunately the folks from the Michigan Farm Bureau have seen this terrific documentary and have honored the film with the 2008 Agricultural Communicator of the Year award.  The film follows the plight of residents of Oceana County Michigan as they fight to preserve their unique culture and livelihood in the face of global free trade.

Here’s a short version of this endearing and poignant film:

takepart by supporting local farmers with the Media That Matter’s Asparagus! action center.

I still can’t get thoughts of the man being trampled at Wal-Mart out of my head.   I’m still slightly amazed that this has happened (although not really).  For some more Wal-Mart food for thought, give a watch to the video below by my favorite collaborative arts collective, Meerkat Media and featured in the 6th annual Media that Matters Film Festival.

takepart to keep up to date on the Wal-Mart story.

If you are in L.A. tonight go see Michel Gondry talk about his films and new book at Hammer Presents, and if not go grab a copy of his new book You’ll Like This Film Because You’re In It: The Be Kind Rewind Protocol and start making a movie.   This handy paperback is a how-to for anyone who has had the notion to make their own film, but haven’t found the time or spare change to go to film school.

Gondry explains his DIY ethos like this: “I intend to prove that people can enjoy their time without being part of the commercial system and serving it… Ultimately, I am hoping to create a network of creativity and communication that is guaranteed to be free and independent from any commercial institution.”

When I recently watched Gondry’s Science of Sleep I was reminded Read the rest of this entry >>

1) African Underground: Hip Hop in Senegal

For the Cinema YouTube Video of the Day, Click here>> Read the rest of this entry >>