Burbank, CA – June 17th, 2021: Today, Cinema Without Borders announced jury members for MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award for the 2021 Palm Springs International ShortFest Film Festival.
The Bridging The Borders Award at the 2021 Palm ShortFest will be given to the most successful film in bringing the people of our world closer together. MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award is presented by Cinema Borders and award sponsored and prize provided by MOZAIK. The winner of Bridging the Borders Award will receive a cash prize of $2500.
Cinema Without Borders’ jury members to decide the 2021 winner of the MOZAIK Bridging The Borders Award are:
Keely Badger is Executive Director of MOZAIK, a new millennial-led philanthropic organization committed to exploring and modeling new practices in philanthropy with disruptive, creative, and catalytic potential. Based in Los Angeles, CA, Keely leads the foundation’s strategic grantmaking, programs and community engagements, working with a range of nonprofit organizations in the local, national and international advocacy space.
As a millennial expert and advocate on international human rights and development issues,
Keely pioneers’ durable solutions for underrepresented voices, communities and causes by working to democratize philanthropy through participatory grantmaking praxis.
Susan Morgan Cooper
Susan Morgan Cooper is a Director/Producer/ Writer and her credits include:
To the Moon and Back, Documentary, Director/Producer/Writer 2016 (A cinematic act of love and courage’ … Broadway World) – Hopper [In his own words] Documentary, Producer/Writer 2013 (“I was moved to tears” Mike Medavoy) – Mulberry Child, Documentary, Director/Producer/Writer 2012 (‘A powerful and touching film’… 31/2 stars. Roger Ebert) – An Unlikely Weapon [The Eddie Adams Story]..Documentary, Director/Producer/Writer 2008 ( ‘A terrific documentary’ The Hollywood Reporter) – Making Of Shadows in The Sun, Documentary, Director/Producer/Writer 2005 – Heroes And Sheroes. Television Series, Director/Producer/Writer 2000
Mirjana: One Girl’s Journey, Documentary, Director/Producer/Writer 1997 – Stringers, Narrative Short Director/Producer/Writer 1990 – Hadley’s Rebellion, Narrative Feature Associate Producer 1989
Hossein Jafarian
Hossein Jafarian is one of the leading cinematographers of Iranian cinema and an Academy Awards member that his work has been featured in prestigious film publications such as American Cinematographer. Hossein has shot over 50 feature length films over the course of the past four decades, films that have won much critical praise in international film festivals from Cannes to Berlin to the Academy Awards. His credits include collaborations with some of the masters of Iranian cinema, including Through the Olive Trees with Abbas Kiarostami, Crimson Gold with Jafar Panahi, Under The Skin of the City with Rakhshan Bani Etemad and most recently three films with Asghar Farhadi; Fireworks Wednesday, About Elly and the Oscar-winning The Salesman.
Hossein Jafarian is also an author of several books on filmmaking and cinematography.
Vladek Juszkiewicz
Born in Glasgow, Poland. He graduated from the Szczecin Technical University with a degree in Engineering. While attending the University he became a member of The Szczecin Technical University Choir, serving as a President and manager of the group. His travels with the choir to 18 counties including United States where he visited the White House.
When he moved to Warsaw, he became the manager of the Polish international star singer Maryla Rodowicz.
After immigrating to the United States, he worked on 11 films with the late Paul Leder.
In 1999 he founded the Polish Film Festival Los Angeles and served as a director till 2019. Now is serving as the Festival’s Programmer.
Served on the juries of the Los Angeles Hungarian Film Festival, the Los Angeles South East European Film Festival, New York Polish Film Festival and Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Awarded by Polish Government with the Cavalier & Officer Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and Gloria Artis for promoting Polish culture abroad.
Farah Nabulsi
Farah Nabulsi is an Academy Award Nominated and BAFTA Award Winning Palestinian British filmmaker. In 2016 she started working in the film industry as a writer & producer of short fiction films. This includes Today They Took My Son, endorsed by British Director Ken Loach and screened at the United Nations.
The Present, her directorial debut, which she also co-wrote and produced, premiered at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival 2020 and won the coveted Audience Award for Best Film. It went on to win over 30 International Film Festival Jury and Audience Awards, a BAFTA Award and an Oscar Nomination. The Present was licensed internationally including to Canal+ and Netflix Worldwide.
Bijan Tehrani
Founder and director of I, Immigrant and founder of Cinema Without Borders (CWB) and CineEqual is an award-winning author of children’s books and short films. Tehrani has been a passionate advocate of human rights, which he has actively pursued as a filmmaker, -historian, and -critic over the past five decades.
Tehrani initiated CineEqual, a multi-faceted program that includes I, Immigrant and is administered by the CWB Foundation, in 2018. Since its founding in 2005, CWB has interviewed and introduced over 2,000 filmmakers from around the globe, a majority of them champions of social justice and human rights.
Terry George, Academy winner and director of Hotel Rwanda, had this to say on the 10th anniversary of CWB: ”At a time when media consolidation is threatening diverse and unique voices, Cinema Without Borders provides a forum for underrepresented perspectives and stories. Now more than ever, we need to reach across cultural, political and national lines. Cinema Without Borders is part of this critical work.”
Nominees for 2021 MOZAIK Bridging The Borders:
Águilas
Along the scorching southern desert border in Arizona, it is estimated that only one out of every five missing migrants are ever found. This is the story of one group of searchers, the Aguilas del Desierto who amidst rising political repression and cartel violence, as well as the eternal difficulties of travel in the Sonoran Desert, carry out their solemn task.
In competition for Bridging the Borders Award, Local Jury Award, and Best Documentary Short.
Director: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Maite Zubiaurre
Producers: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Maite Zubiaurre
Screenwriter: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Maite Zubiaurre, Nico Sandi
Cinematographers: David Marquez
Editor: Nico Sandi
Cast: Ely Ortiz, Maricela Ortiz, Vincente Rodriguez, and the Águilas del Desierto
Country: USA
Bambirak
When 8-year-old Kati stows away in her father’s truck, Faruk must juggle his responsibilities as a single dad while holding down his first job in a new country.
In competition for Bridging the Borders Award and Best Student U.S. Short.
Director: Zamarin Wahdat
Producers: Joy Jorgensen
Screenwriter: Zamarin Wahdat
Cinematographers: Lorena Duran
Editor: Alan Wu, Jenn Ruff
Music: Robert Ouyang Rusli
Cast: Lara Cengiz, Kailas Mahadevan
Country: Germany/USA
A Broken House
A Syrian architect and artist stuck in the U.S. on a single-entry visa eases his homesickness by sculpting life-like renditions of the home he left behind.
In competition for Bridging the Borders Award.
Director: Jimmy Goldblum
Producers: Jimmy Goldblum, Matt Weaver, Richard Gephardt, Harrison Nalevansky
Cinematographers: Oli Millar, Zach Lowry
Editor: Brad Turner
Music: From the Mouth of the Sun (Aaron Martin, Dag Rosenqvist)
Cast: Mohamad Hafez
Country: USA/Lebanon
Faraway
After being estranged from his family because of his homosexuality, we observe a young Arab man over four seasons as he navigates his solitude–all the while attempting to reconnect with his mother.
In competition for Bridging the Borders Award and Best Documentary Short.
Director: Aziz Zoromba
Producers: Aziz Zoromba, Carol Nguyen
Screenwriter: Aziz Zoromba
Cinematographers: Max Machado
Editor: Ashley Gilmour, Aziz Zoromba
Music: Ash
Original Language Title: Lointain
Country: Canada
https://vimeo.com/486142451
Feagments
An imaginative young girl in Montreal retreats to rooftop conversations with her Sengalese grandfather, as she reflects on grief and memory for the first time.
In competition for Bridging the Borders Award.
Director: Aline-Sitoé N’Diaye
Producers: Aline-Sitoé N’Diaye
Screenwriter: Aline-Sitoé N’Diaye
Cinematographers: Ismael Ouattara
Editor: Aline-Sitoé N’Diaye
Music: ITSWHY (Youssef Ennaoui)
Cast: Luzmiellis Bomhower Alcantara, Marius Sarr, Jean-Baptiste N’Diaye, Laïty Fary N’Diaye, Christine Rodriguez
Country: Canada/France
Free Flow
Zak, an Iranian immigrant working as a deep-sea diver in France, finds his livelihood threatened after he catches Keivan, another Iranian immigrant, attempting to take advantage of Zak’s privileged access to the docks on his way to England.
In competition for Best Live-Action Short Over 15 Minutes and Bridging the Borders Award.
Director: Sâm Mirhosseini
Producers: Martin Berléand
Screenwriter: Sâm Mirhosseini, Julien Gittinger
Cinematographers: Elodie Tahtane
Editor: Jean Vercken
Music: Mossy Amidi Fard
Cast: Sâm Mirhosseini, Attila Mirhosseini, Swann Arlaud
Country: France
Homegoing
During the coronavirus lockdown in the U.S., an immigrant couple from South Korea struggles to define where home is.
In competition for Bridging the Borders Award and Best Student Documentary Short.
Director: Yeon Park
Producers: Yeon Park
Screenwriter: Yeon Park
Cinematographers: Yeon Park
Editor: Yeon Park
Music: Jaehoon Choi
Cast: Jonghyun Kim, Yeon Park, Inhee Park, Advo
Country: USA/South Korea
On My Way
The unexpected arrival of a Nigerian migrant in the Belgian countryside shakes up the fragile daily life of two men living a secret relationship.
In competition for Bridging the Borders Award and Best LGBT+ Short.
Director: Sonam Larcin
Producers: Anne-Laure Guégan, Géraldine Sprimont
Screenwriter: Sonam Larcin
Cinematographers: Samuel Esselinckx
Editor: Laurence Vaes
Music: Vincent Massinon
Cast: Tijmen Govaerts, Goua Grovogui, Yannick Renier
Country: Belgium
Seahorse
While teaching swim lessons at a local community pool, young Yezidi wrestles quietly with her fearsome memories of crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
In competition for Bridging the Borders Award and Best Student Documentary Short.
Director: Nele Dehnenkamp
Producers: Christine Duttlinger, Nele Dehnenkamp
Cinematographers: Tobias Winkel, Sina Diehl
Editor: Jana Briesner
Music: Paul Chriske
Original Language Title: Seepferdchen
Country: Germany
The Trucker
An immigrant truck driver makes his way home across the American Midwest.
In competition for Best Live-Action Short 15 Minutes and Under, Bridging the Borders Award, and Best U.S. Short.
Director: Raven Johnson
Producers: Raines Plambeck
Screenwriter: Raven Johnson
Cinematographers: Lorena Duran
Editor: Alan Wu, Raven Johnson
Cast: Boye Wantoe, Cynthia Herndon, Sadie Hammond, Kenton Holden, Daniel Ornitz, Raines Plambeck, Doneen Ross
Country: USA