We admit that every year it seems like we say it was our biggest and best yet, but the thing is – it’s true!

In 2022, Shine Global built on our previous successes and also expanded to reach audiences in new ways to transform children’s lives with the power of film.  From the release of our latest film pushing the forms of documentary storytelling to expert panels on mental health to the launch of the first annual Children’s Resilience in Film Awards, we’ve had a truly inspiring 2022.

• Launch of the first ever Children’s Resilience in Film Awards which honored four filmmakers whose films celebrate the strength and power of children around the world with a $25,000 grand prize awarded to the documentary LIFT and $2,500 for the three other nominees Scenes from the Glittering World, Maika: Girl From Another Galaxy, and Gabi: Between Ages 8 and 13. As our 2022 Titan Honoree actress and writer Sonia Manzano (best known as Maria from Sesame Street) said in her acceptance speech: 
  “All children are born resilient. We had a Sesame Street producer who used to say, ‘If you look into a crowd of kids and say, anybody who can sing and dance raise your hand, they will all raise their hands.’ It’s our job to keep that hope in them alive, and these films that show us children and families that we might not ordinarily see make us understand that they should not be forgotten.”
• The release of Home Is Somewhere Else! This animated documentary provides a window into the hearts and minds of young immigrants and their undocumented families. It premiered at the world’s most important animation film festival Annecy Film Festival in France (with an appearance by Guillermo del Toro at our premiere party!) and has continued to screen around the world, winning awards and sparking conversations about immigration. Other highlights include a workshop at the AFT Annual Convention this summer with teachers and winning the Best Youth Documentary Ages 14+ at the world’s largest documentary film festival IDFA.
• For Month of the Military Child in April, we hosted two virtual panels using our film Through Our Eyes: Homefront as a starting point to talk about the mental health needs of veterans and their children. Featuring experts in PTSD, veterans, and mental health experts, panelists discussed the needs of military families and how our nation can better serve them.  The panels are available to watch on our website and the film can be streamed on HBOMax. And in additional news – Homefront has also been named a finalist for the Columbia Journalism duPont awards! 
• Huge news for Maison, one of the three children featured in our documentary Tre Maison Dasan about children with incarcerated parents. He has received a full scholarship to Brown University for Fall 2023!  Maison writes: “Being a part of Tre Maison Dasan and seeing how it touched so many people made me realize the power of storytelling, and I hope to continue to inspire and uplift people with my stories, whether they be plays, comic books, short films, or any other medium.”
• Being back in person!  It was so wonderful to be able to be back in person with so many Shine Global supporters –  especially welcoming our new team member Autumn Gonzalez and as part of the Children’s Resilience in Film Awards. Sitting together in the theater to watch the nominated films was magical and the Q&As and awards ceremony both provided the opportunity for the filmmakers and audiences to meaningfully interact and inspired many actions for change.  That is after all why we do this work.

And there’s so much more to come in 2023!

Shine Global is an award-winning non-profit media company that gives voice to children and their families by sharing their stories of resilience to raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. We produce inspiring films and compelling content about at-risk children. Through tailored distribution and outreach, we connect with our audiences in communities, classrooms, museums, and on capitol hill as part of a powerful engagement campaign to encourage social change.