0 PUMA Impact Award winner announced

Puma in partnership with BritDoc announced The Act of Killing as the winner of the 2013 Puma Impact Award, at a ceremony held at the Times Center in New York City.

The filmmakers of The Act of Killing are catalysing a fundamental change in how the 1965-66 genocide is understood in Indonesia and internationally, with the ultimate aim of making a truth and reconciliation commission and an apology possible.

The 50,000 award, now in its third year, celebrates and supports the documentary film that has made the most significant positive impact on society or the environment each year. Half the cash prize rewards the filmmakers for their creative efforts, while the other half is channeled to support the ongoing efforts of the film's campaign for change.

Bjoern Gulden, CEO of PUMA, said: Congratulations to the team behind The Act of Killing on winning the 2013 PUMA Impact Award. PUMA is proud to support films that are creating fast tangible impact on important social and environmental issues.

PUMA supports documentary film because of its belief in the medium as an effective way to create and accelerate conversation around positive change.

The 2013 PUMA Impact Award winner, The Act of Killing , sees an unrepentant death squad leader and his friends dramatize their role in the Indonesian anti-communist genocide of the late 1960's.

In a politically charged landscape, the team facilitated covert screenings across the country, seeding the first public debate of its kind around the country's past and triggering the first official apology by a local mayor. The National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia called the film essential viewing for us all.

The shortlist of five documentaries that also included Bully, Give Up Tomorrow, The Interrupters and The Invisible War, were judged by an independent jury representing the worlds of film, the arts, and social change including activist and actress Susan Sarandon, actor and director Gael Garc a Bernal, Avaaz Executive Director Ricken Patel, American journalist and author Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation, Command and Control) and Zadie Smith, Orange Prize-winning author (White Teeth, On Beauty).

The Jury said of the winning film:

'The Act of Killing' is a staggering and unique work of art that stands above time and place and will enrich and empower everyone who has the privilege to see it for many years to come. Its brave brilliance has already led to tremendous impact, almost single handedly opening the painful dialogue on Indonesia's genocide, which claimed over one million lives. As a film, it has the potential to change the genre, and as art, it resurrects the deep insight into our nature offered by the banality of evil . In doing so, its impact moves well beyond Indonesia, providing a contribution to all humanity .

The Jury's Special Commendation went to The Invisible War, from Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, a groundbreaking investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military. It paints a startling picture of the extent of the problem - 1 in 4 women will be sexually assaulted during military service.

The campaign aimed to create a national dialogue on the issue of military sexual assault, to effect changes in policy and to spur the military to initiate internal changes. There have been a total of 20 new pieces of legislation introduced to address this issue since the film's release while President Obama has vowed publicly to end the scourge of military sexual assault.

The Jury said of The Invisible War :

As a targeted tool of legislative change, The Invisible War' has shown just how powerful the documentary form can be, and what stunning progress can be made when brave individuals allow filmmakers to document their personal stories, engaging and motivating audiences and provoking legislators into direct action.

The other finalists cover topics including: a miscarriage of justice in the Philippines, violence intervention and prevention on the streets of Chicago and bullying in American schools. All of the films created remarkable and measurable change.

The Jury convened in New York on September 12th to select the PUMA Impact Award winner. Looking beyond the production budget, artistic content and directorial talents, each film was uniquely assessed for its social impact, recognized through data and various markers, including how the film had:

Increased public awareness of and engagement with an issue

Produced political and corporate impact

Built the capacity of partners

Changed public behaviour

The PUMA Impact Award is one of three awards and programmes made possible through a partnership between PUMA and BRITDOC.

LINK:	http://www.filmcontact.com/africa/south-africa/2013-puma-impact-award-...
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