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Since 2014, Media Impact Funders has been showcasing the work of producers dedicated to creating documentaries in the public interest through our annual Media Impact Festival. This year, we are celebrating the power of interactive technologies to deepen the relationship between news and documentary projects and their audiences. Our 2016 selections — celebrated at our annual […]

“It was too close for comfort, but maybe that was the point,” writes The Case Foundation’s Louise Storm of her first virtual reality experience. Viewing the New York Times’ series “The Displaced”—which tells the stories of three children displaced by war—her initial response was tears. But then the chief of staff to CEO Jean Case began […]

Vince Stehle, our executive director, spoke with Ethan McCoy and Ellie Buteau of the Center for Effective Philanthropy about how documentaries can drive real change, and what foundations are doing to be more involved.

Following the buzz in journalistic circles, it seems clear that interactive stories and productions have the potential to engage audiences in new and exciting ways. But how does this work exactly—and when should funders be stepping in to invest more seriously in such experiments?

What is it: A campaign launched by Ford in late January that seeks to raise awareness about inequality in all its forms and what can be done about it. Ford asked people on social media one question: “Finish this sentence: Inequality is…”

With support from the MacArthur Foundation, Catapult Film Fund, and others, Indian director Vaishali Sinha examines how Indians discuss sex in her documentary Ask the Sexpert. This feature length documentary is centered on a highly popular sex advice columnist in Mumbai, India—Dr. Mahinder Watsa.

Given today’s thriving documentary marketplace, competition for audience attention and action is fierce. That’s why we’ve chosen to honor five pioneering film teams for their breakthrough approaches to constructing high-impact social campaigns.

  The 2015 Media Impact Festival celebrated the social impact of media, and its capacity to transform society. In its second year, the festival showcased documentary films that have made a notable impact on a particular issue through powerful coverage and inspired engagement of audiences, influencers, and institutions. Our nominators chose five films to be highlighted, each of […]

Originally published in Philanthropy.com The signs of an avalanche were stirring at last month’s Sundance Film Festival, one that could have especially strong reverberations for everyone who is concerned about promoting social change — including activists, donors, and fundraisers. That low rumble you hear comes from the premiere of The Hunting Ground, a film about […]

In the absence of shared tools for assessing engagement, how are documentarians working with researchers and users to understand the impact of their outreach campaigns? The case studies we compiled for our Media Impact Festival provide a few intriguing snapshots.