January 30, 2024 – Shine Global today announced their Children’s Resilience in Film Awards program is a Bronze Winner in the Education, Art & Culture Event category at the 3rd Annual Anthem Awards.

Launched in 2021, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide, amplifying impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. This year’s Anthem Award Winners were selected from a pool of over 2,000 submissions from 44 countries by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Anthem judges are intellectually diverse leaders from across the impact industry with expertise that spans across the Anthem cause areas. IADAS members include: Heather Dowdy, Director of Product Accessibility, Netflix; Alex Amouyel, President & CEO, Newman’s Own Foundation; Noel Kinder, Chief Sustainability Officer, Nike; Shaniqua McClendon, Vice President of Politics, Crooked Media/Vote Save America; Rawle Andrews Jr., Esq., Executive Director, American Psychiatric Association Foundation; Alison Moore, CEO, Comic Relief US; Christina Lang, Vice President of North American Marketing, Mozilla; Michelle Waring, Steward for Sustainability and Everyday Good, Tom’s of Maine; and more.

Shine Global’s annual Children’s Resilience in Film Awards honor exceptional films that center around the resilience of children in the face of adversity. It aims to shed light on the countless stories of courage, strength, and determination that children demonstrate in challenging circumstances. These films not only inspire audiences but also help create awareness and promote positive change in society. Past winners include the feature documentaries Lift (2022, Directed by David Petersen) and Name Me Lawand (2023, Directed by Edward Lovelace) and the short documentary Ayenda (2023, directed by Marie Margolius).

“At Shine Global, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire audiences,”  said Shine Global’s Alexandra Blaney. “The Film Awards are an extension of our work producing films and not only allow us to recognize and support talented filmmakers who share our mission of improving children’s lives, but also to uplift even more important and untold stories of children’s resilience that inspire audiences to action.”

The 2023 film nominees represented a diverse range of powerful stories from around the world, showcasing resilience in various forms. Through the lens of these films, audiences witness the inspiring spirit of children as they overcome obstacles, navigate through personal hardships, and inspire others through their achievements. In addition to Name Me Lawand, other finalists included Aurora’s Sunrise – Directed by Inna Sahakyan (2022, Armenia, Germany, Lithuania); Bigman – Directed by Camiel Schouwenaar (2022, The Netherlands, Germany); Children of Las Brisas – Directed by Marianela Maldonado (2022, Venezuela); and The Ordinaries – Directed by Sophie Linnenbaum (2022, Germany).  The three other short film finalists were Barricade Directed by Alice Johannessen (2023, UK); Lunchbox directed by Anne Hu (2022, USA); and Translators Directed by Rudy Valdez (2023, USA).

The 2023 feature film winner Name Me Lawand, was selected by a jury panel including Anita Chandra (Vice President and Director of RAND Social and Economic Well-Being and a Senior Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation with a focus on childhood development), Tyler Coates (Awards Editor at The Hollywood Reporter), Jill Burkhart (VP of Unscripted Programming for MGM+), Greg Sorvig (Artistic Director for Heartland Film), and Brian Walker (CEO of Picture Motion).

In addition to the winning films, Shine Global highlighted three honorees making a difference: Margie Cohn, President of DreamWorks Animation, as the Titan Honoree, Former NFL Player and Founder and CEO of Project Transition Marcellus Wiley as the Children’s Champion Honoree, and Graceyn Hollingsworth, the voice of Gracie on Gracie’s Corner, as the Youth Activist Honoree.

See more: https://www.anthemawards.com/winners/list/entry/#education-art-culture/awareness-media-categories/childrens-resilience-in-film-awards-2023/462959

###

About Shine Global

Shine Global is a non-profit media company with the mission to improve children’s lives by telling powerful stories that raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. We produce inspiring films and compelling content about underserved 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.

Since our founding in 2005, Shine Global films have won more than 100 major awards, including an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject for Inocente and an Academy Award®-nomination and two Emmys® for War/Dance. Recent films include the documentary-animation hybrid Liyana, the hit documentary The Eagle Huntress, Through Our Eyes: Homefront which is available on Max, and Home Is Somewhere Else, which is currently in festivals.

ABOUT SHINE GLOBAL’S CHILDREN’S RESILIENCE IN FILM AWARDS

This annual event recognizes and celebrates the films and filmmakers that highlight the resilience and strength of children in the face of adversity. The awards are open to films of any genre that showcase children overcoming challenges, such as poverty, violence, illness, and discrimination, and demonstrate their resilience, courage, and determination.