Films have universal appeal. They tell stories of struggles, endeavours, achievements and failures. They explore relationships and identities – and reveal what it is to be human. For some, “It’s not what a movie is about, it’s how it is about it” (Roger Ebert). For others, “Cinema is the most beautiful fraud in the world” (Jean-Luc Godard). Film is unique: “No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls” (Ingmar Bergman). And, “In cinema it is sometimes best to feel as if you know nothing – to start again afresh with each film as if you’re seeing everything for the first time” (Samira Makhmalbaf).
WACC understands the crucial role cinema plays in representing social and political questions today and it partners with the Protestant film organisation INTERFILM and the Roman Catholic media organization SIGNIS to provide Ecumenical Film Juries at several international festivals. WACC and SIGNIS also make an annual Human Rights Award to a documentary film - all of which is reported on this page.
The Ecumenical Jury at the 64th Berlinale (6-16 February 2014) awarded its main prize in the Competition to the film Stations of the Cross directed by Dietrich Brüggemann, Germany/France 2014.
by Philip LeePosted February 18, 2014 (0) Comments (0) Like
At the 66th Festival de Cannes (15-26 May 2013) the Ecumenical Jury awarded its prize in the Official Competition to Le Passé (The Past) directed by Asghar Farhadi (France).
At the 63rd International Film Festival Berlin, held 7-17 February 2013, the Ecumenical Jury awarded its Prize in the Competition to the film Gloria (still above) directed by Sebastián Lelio (Chile/Spain, 2012) for its refreshing and contagious plea that life is a celebration to which we are all invited, regardless of age or condition, and that its complexities only add to the challenge to live it in full.
The INTERFILM Jury at the International Film Festival Venice 2012 has chosen as winner of the 2nd INTERFILM Award for Promoting Interreligious Dialogue the film Wadjda directed by Haifaa Al Mansour (Saudi Arabia/Germany 2012).
Philip LeePosted March 04, 2013 (0) Comments (0) Like
Ecumenical Jury Prizes (1993-2017) Ecumenical Juries award prizes at the world's leading film festivals (Berlin, Cannes, Locarno, Montreal and most recently Venice).
Celebrating Cinema WACC's journal Media Development (1/2005) marking the 50th anniversary of INTERFILM and the enduring fascination of the silver screen. 12 articles covering different aspects of film worldwide.
WACC-SIGNIS Human Rights Award 2015 "Censored Voices" directed by Mor Loushy.
WACC-SIGNIS Human Rights Award 2014 "Taxi" directed by Jafar Panahi.
WACC-SIGNIS Human Rights Award 2013 "Caminhos da paz" directed by Sol de Carvalho.
WACC-SIGNIS Human Rights Award 2012 "Forbidden Voices" directed by Barbara Miller.
WACC-SIGNIS Human Rights Award 2010 "The Garden at the End of the World" directed by Gary Caganoff.
WACC-SIGNIS Human Rights Award 2008 "Shock Waves" directed by Pierre Mignault and Hélène Magny.
WHO WE ARE
The World Association for Christian Communication is registered in Canada as a not-for-profit corporation (438311-7) and an incorporated charitable organisation (number 83970 9524 RR0001) with its offices at 308 Main Street, Toronto ON, M4C 4X7. WACC is also a UK Registered Charity (number 296073) and a Company registered in England and Wales (number 2082273) with its Registered Office at 16 Tavistock Crescent, London W11 1AP, United Kingdom.
