Britdoc Impact Award and the Unsung Heroes

Woohoo! Britdoc has announced the five winners of the Britdoc Impact Award, which celebrates documentaries that have made a significant impact on society. In past years, the annual award was granted to just one film, but this year they did something different to acknowledge the range of ways films can make a difference.

Leading up to the announcement of the award, I was invited to submit a think piece on the power of film as a tool for social change. As I pondered what might be a useful topic, our founder Ellen Schneider pointed out that we never really hear about the organizations on the ground that use social impact films in their work. This simple yet profound comment struck a major chord with me; collaborating–and strategizing–with organizations on the ground is such an essential component of Active Voice’s behind-the-scenes work. Why? Because we can’t realize a vision for change without working with those who are already striving to address a need, change a policy, or build a movement. Read more about these unsung heroes in my article on The Huffington Post.