Shine Global’s 2025 Highlights
As we close out an extraordinary year — one that marked Shine Global’s 20th Anniversary — we are deeply grateful for the community that makes our work possible. Thanks to our donors and supporters, 2025 has been one of the most impactful years in our history. We hope you’ll continue to support our work.
Here are just a few of the moments our supporters helped make possible this year:
20th Anniversary Celebration
In September, we gathered with a sold-out crowd at City Winery in New York City to celebrate two decades of empowering children through film. Together, we honored our Shining Example Award recipient Jesse Draper, applauded the vision of our co-founders Susan MacLaury and Albie Hecht, and raised critical funds to sustain Shine Global’s next 20 years.
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From Oscar Nominee to Worldwide Impact – Anuja
- Reached over 300 million viewers across 190+ countries on Netflix — bringing global attention to child labor and girls’ education.
- Watched by over 8 million people in the first 4 months of release, making it the most watched live action short film on Netflix.
- Raised $20,000 for the Salaam Baalak Trust, directly funding three teachers serving vulnerable children
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Breaking Barriers for Autism Awareness – Comedy Against the Odds
Our documentary Comedy Against the Odds was part of a nationwide conversation about autism and inclusion. In partnership with Chuck E. Cheese and Autism Speaks, we reached millions of families through:
- Screenings and Q&As in Brooklyn and Burbank during World Autism Awareness Month
- PSA videos featuring 10-year-old autistic comic Austin Eletto played in 500+ locations nationwide
- Sold-out appearances at the ReelAbilities Film Festival
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The 2025 Shine Global Resilience Awards reached new heights as both a recognition program and a field-building initiative.
- Awarded Speak. the 2025 Grand Prize, including a $25,000 package to advance their impact campaign to support youth participation in speech and debate across the country
- Supported filmmakers across seven major festival partners
- Provided over $100,000 in direct support since the program launched
- Expanded into a year-round initiative offering fellowships, emerging filmmaker prizes, FYC awards campaigns, and a national screening series
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As we close out this incredible year, we’re keenly aware that there is still so much more to be done and many more stories to tell for children around the world. We thank you, our Shine Global community, for supporting 20 years of impact — will you join us for 20 more? Together, we create what comes next.
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ABOUT SHINE GLOBAL
Shine Global is a nonprofit media company that improves the lives of children by telling powerful stories to raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. We produce and support 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 by Susan MacLaury and Albie Hecht, Shine Global films have won more than 100 major awards, including an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject for Inocente, an Academy Award® nomination for Best Live Action Short for Anuja, 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 HBOMax, the Ariel Award winner Home Is Somewhere Else, and Comedy Against the Odds which is currently in film festivals.
ABOUT SHINE GLOBAL’S RESILIENCE AWARDS
The Shine Global Resilience Awards were created to honor films that highlight the strength, dignity, and power of children in the face of adversity. Past winners of Shine Global Resilience Awards include the feature documentaries Speak. (2025, Directed by Guy Mossman and Jennifer Tiexiera), Daughters (2024, Directed by Angela Patton and Natalie Rae), Name Me Lawand (2023, Directed by Edward Lovelace), and Lift (2022, Directed by David Petersen), Los Frikis (2024, written and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz) in partnership with Nantucket Film Festival, the short Rise (2025, Directed by Jessica J. Rowlands), the short documentary Ayenda (2023, directed by Marie Margolius) in partnership with Heartland Film’s Indy Shorts International Film Festival, Okthanksbye (2023, Nicole Van Kilsdok) with ReelAbilities Film Festival, Savauges (2024, directed by Claude Barras), and Dounia – The Great White North (2024, directed by Marya Zarif and André Kadi) in partnership with the New York International Children’s Film Festival.
