BEYOND THE BOX MONTHLY from ITVS
May 2008

Welcome to BEYOND THE BOX MONTHLY: the latest news about upcoming films, festivals, funding, the independent film community, interactive projects and public television from your friends at ITVS.

1. FEATURES

ITVS Explores the Global Water Crisis
INSIDE INDIES: From Short Film to Feature
FILMOCRACY: Mix it Up. Make a Statement!
ITVS International Partners With Jaman
New Flickr Group: I Am an American
Webby Fever! Cast Your Vote for World Without Oil Today!
ITVS Community Classroom and Independent Lens Web Resources

2. DEPARTMENTS

ITVS Funding Deadlines
Ask Programming
Community Cinema
ITVS in the News
ITVS on the Road
Applause!

3. THIS MONTH ON TV

May Programs

1. FEATURES
ITVS Explores the Global Water Crisis

Concerned about the global water crisis? Do you think the media could do a better job telling the story?

Through the support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, ITVS and the University of Miami collaborated to form the 1H20 Project, working with a select group of public broadcasters from Asia, Africa and Latin America dedicated to generate awareness of water issues and potential solutions worldwide.

1H20, a half-hour global documentary about the state of potable water, will be provided to participating broadcasters to air with locally produced programming focused on water issues. ITVS is also providing funds for filmmakers and journalists to produce local programming that will be shared among participating broadcasters and re-versioned for an interactive website developed for the project.

The goal of the project is to enable journalists from around the world to tell stories about the challenges relating to water and help in the creation of public television programming in developing countries.

Learn more about the 1H20 Project >>

Submit your story proposal

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INSIDE INDIES: From Short Film to Feature

From George Lucas to Wes Anderson, Billy Bob Thornton to Mike Judge, directors have stretched their stories from short subject to feature-length film. Shorts are enjoying a renaissance they haven’t seen since newsreels were shown before the double feature. In this latest feature of Inside Indies, Journalist Michael Fox goes down memory lane to reveal what films went the distance, including some you might not have expected.

Read more about which popular independent and commercial features started off as short films >>

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FILMOCRACY: Mix it Up. Make a Statement!

The deadline is quickly approaching to enter the Filmocracy mashup contest, which concludes on May 30.

ITVS and PBS's Independent Lens invite you to make a short film about the politics of food using KING CORN clips and footage from Getty Images. You can even upload your own clips and mix it all up with the Eyespot online editing tool.

The grand prizewinner gets $1,000, a chance to be screened throughout the country, streamed on the PBS website, plus a KING CORN DVD, soundtrack and other fabulous corn-free prizes! The most popular and highest rated videos get cool prizes too.

Have fun and good luck! Find out more at >>

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ITVS International Partners With Jaman

With continued growth over the past year, Jaman is becoming a destination site for high quality independent and international content online. This year ITVS International began a partnership with Jaman and currently has five programs available to rent online or download to own. The current list of ITVS International films available on Jaman includes:

CHAHINAZ: What Rights for Women?: A story about Chahinaz, a 20-year-old Algerian student, who begins to wonder what life is like for women in other Muslim countries and around the world.

IRANIAN KIDNEY BARGAIN SALE: An inside look at the growing organ industry in Iran, where every 10 minutes, a young person wishing to sell his or her kidney appears at the entrance of a kidney referral agency.

A WORKING MOM: A film about a divorced mother of two who returns to her home in Bolivia after 15 years of struggling for a better life in Israel—only to find that her family members have become strangers.

RELOCATED MOUNTAINS: A look at an Iraq refugee who risks his life by traveling back to his homeland to visit his grandmother before she dies.

ON WHEELS BRASIL: Following the lives of people that push, pull or pedal some kind of vehicle to earn their living on Brazil's city streets, ON WHEELS BRASIL establishes a relationship between the wheel's movement and the inconstancy of life.

Visit the ITVS International Jaman page >>

Find more information about ITVS International >>

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New Flickr Group: I am an American

What does an American look like? ITVS is seeking photos that illustrate what it means to be American, inspired by the Independent Lens May 20 broadcast of A DREAM IN DOUBT, a documentary that explores the story behind one of America's first post 9/11 hate crimes, racial stereotypes and the shattering of the American dream.

Celebrate the diversity of American life and culture. View photos and add your own on Flickr >>

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Webby Fever! Cast Your Vote for World Without Oil Today!

World Without Oil, the alternate reality game for the public good, created by its players, is nominated for a Webby Award in the Game category. You can help us to win the popular vote.

World Without Oil is a breathtaking experiment in "collective imagination." It set out a very realistic "what if?" scenario—what if a global oil crisis began today?— and asked everyone to speak up and chronicle what would happen. The result is an interactive, immersive and authentic chronicle collaboratively authored by thousands of citizens from all over the globe.

You can help us to win the Peoples' Choice Webby by voting for World Without Oil in the Game category >>

Play World Without Oil >>

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ITVS Community Classroom and Independent Lens Web Resources

As part of its community engagement program, ITVS provides educational materials to support select shows and interactive projects—available free for teachers.

The latest ITVS Community Classroom materials are now available for VOTE DEMOCRACY!, including video modules, lesson plans, activities, handouts and more. Developed specifically for students and teachers, the materials explore democracy abroad, the election process and gender and media literacy through class discussions, activities and homework assignments. VOTE DEMOCRACY! features the acclaimed Independent Lens documentaries PLEASE VOTE FOR ME and IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA.

Get VOTE DEMOCRACY! Community Classroom resources >>

Educational resources are also available for World Without Oil, an alternate reality game in which players submit their own stories and pretend the oil crisis was really happening. Ten lesson plans encourage teachers and students to do the same: to get "in game" and act to make the crisis seem real. Students will immerse themselves in an exploration of World Without Oil, and prepare their own "in-game" stories that they can contribute to the game’s online archive.

Get World Without Oil Web lesson plans for teachers and students >>

top 2. DEPARTMENTS
ITVS Funding Deadlines

LINCS Deadline: Friday, May 30, 2008


Linking Independents and Co-Producing Stations (LINCS) provides matching funds (up to $100,000) to partnerships between public television stations and independent producers. To apply for LINCS funds, independents must first approach a public television station and establish a partnership. Single shows in any genre will be considered. Non-fiction projects must have begun production as evidenced by a work-in-progress tape.

Get guidelines and read the FAQ >>

OPEN CALL 
Deadline: Friday, July 18, 2008

Open Call provides finishing funds for single public television programs on any subject, from any viewpoint and in any genre. Projects must have begun production as evidenced by a work-in-progress tape.

Get guidelines and read the FAQ >>

Find out about all ITVS funding calls and get producer resources >>

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Ask Programming

ITVS programming staff answer questions from filmmakers about the funding process:

Q. I’m interested in applying for LINCS funding. How do I get a station to agree to collaborate with me?

A. Start early. Some stations have internal deadlines for considering LINCS proposals months in advance of the LINCS deadline. You may have to approach more than one station to find one to partner with you.

First, call the station to find out who the production contact person is and ask if you can send your materials for review. Provide them with your project proposal, a preliminary budget, previous work samples and your bio. Remember, public television staff are busy, so follow up a week later to confirm they received your packet.

Then, ask to meet with them and discuss your needs: If you want in-kind support, what exactly do you need? How much money do you have in place? In what areas do you need the most help? Every station is different and has different assets to offer. Not all stations have the staff, equipment or experience to make a viable collaboration; you will need to determine this with them. For more information, please review the supplement, Building a LINCS Partnership.

Q. My project as been declined twice in the Panel Phase of Open Call. Now, my project is again in the Panel Phase of Open Call. Will you explain to members of the upcoming panel that I have modified my project proposal in response to ITVS feedback from previous panelists?

A. Each phase is considered a fresh start. One of our jobs during the panel meetings is to instill as much objectivity into the process as possible. We do our best to ensure that each project receives a fair shake while being evaluated by the panel. This involves eliminating preconceived concerns and opinions about a project based on previous reviews.

If panelists inquire about the history of a project, we will note whether it has come to us before and perhaps how far the project advanced in the review process. Yet, in order to solicit genuine opinions and authentic evaluations, we never disclose the details of the previous panel's commentary.

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Community Cinema

This month, ITVS Community Cinema presents NEW YEAR BABY (produced and directed by Socheata Poeuv).

Born in a Thai refugee camp on Cambodian New Year, filmmaker Socheata Poeuv grew up in the United States never knowing that her family had survived the Khmer Rouge genocide. In NEW YEAR BABY, she embarks on a journey to Cambodia in search of the truth and why her family's history had been buried in secrecy for so long.

Community Cinema screenings of NEW YEAR BABY will include special presentations and discussions with leading community organizations in over 45 locations around the country.

Highlights from April Community Cinema screenings of A DREAM IN DOUBT:

When his brother is murdered, Rana Singh Sodhi finds himself coping with national tragedy and murder, finding support in community and attempting to reclaim the American dream. His story, featured in A DREAM IN DOUBT, drew communities together across the country to watch and discuss what people can do to combat racism and injustice. Make A Difference Phoenix and the Arizona Regional chapter of the Anti-Defamation League welcomed more than 300 community members to their screening with Director Tami Yeager and film subject Rana Singh Sodhi at the Scottsdale Community College Performing Arts Center. In Seattle, Co-Producer Preetmohan Singh was joined by Sukhvir Singh, a Seattle cab driver who was a victim of a hate-crime last November, for a post-screening conversation about forgiveness, compassion and how something good can come from a senseless tragedy. In Chicago, the discussion focused on local civil rights infringements on the Sikh American community and what people can do to support those in need. Filmmaker Tami Yeager, who was in attendance shared, “For me, it was educational and informative and I will carry the lessons from this panel on the road to future screenings.”

Find program descriptions, event locations and more information on ITVS Community Cinema >>

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ITVS In the News

Media coverage on current, past and upcoming broadcasts:

4/18/2008
KPHX, Phoenix, AZ: A DREAM IN DOUBT
An audio interview with Rana Singh Sodhi, a first generation immigrant from India, and Tami Yeager, filmmaker of A DREAM IN DOUBT, airing May 20 on Independent Lens.

4/11/2008
Sikh News Network: PBS to Air Film on a Sikh’s Perseverance Through Tragedy
Rana Singh Sodhi tells his story of overcoming grief by embracing his country in a new film, A DREAM IN DOUBT, airing on May 20 on Independent Lens.

4/16/2008
The Washington Post: Discussion With KING CORN Filmmakers
Filmmakers Curt Ellis and Ian Cheney discuss KING CORN on The Washington Post live online forum.

4/15/2008
Chicago Tribune: Shaggy Documentary Investigates the Rule of KING CORN
KING CORN uses a shambling, shaggy style to answer a serious question: Why is our food system so out of whack?

4/18/2008
National Arab American Times: PBS Airs New Documentary on Arab-Israeli Cooperation
PBS World Channel will air the new documentary BRIDGE OVER THE WADI as part of the new series Global Voices, which features a world-class array of internationally themed documentaries...

4/15/2008
CNN: Inside Africa
Featured segment and interview with Siatta Scott-Johnson, co-director of IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA.

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ITVS on the Road

Join ITVS staff here, there and everywhere.

San Francisco International Film Festival
San Francisco, CA, April 24-May8
3 PM on Saturday, May 3, Sundance Kabuki Cinemas
Cathy Fischer, senior producer, ITVS Interactive, will participate in a panel discussion called “Bay Area Political Documentary: A Legacy with a Future?” The panel will look at the effectiveness of long-form documentary as a process of social change and the role of digital technology such as podcasting, instant messaging, user-generated content and social networking, among other topics.

Input 2008
Johannesburg, South Africa, May 4-10
Klara Grunning-Harris, coordinating producer, ITVS International, will be attending Input May 4-9 to promote International Call for African filmmakers and meet producers and industry partners.

PBS Showcase
Palm Springs, CA, May 12-15
ITVS senior staff members will be attending PBS Showcase from May 12-15. ITVS Vice President Lois Vossen will speak at 3:30 PM on May 13 at Programming Session II to introduce the next season of Independent Lens.

The Israeli Forum for International Documentary CoProductions
Tel Aviv, Israel, May 27-June 2
Vice President of Programming Claire Aguilar will be meeting with filmmakers from May 28-June 1.

Filmmaker’s Collaborative Conference
Boston, MA, May 30
Programming Manager Kathryn Washington will be on a pitch panel and attending filmmaker meetings for Making Media Now 2008 at Bentley College.

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Applause!

Several ITVS-funded programs were recently recognized for excellence:

On the festival circuit: THE ENGLISH SURGEON, the story of a doctor who helps treat those suffering from brain tumors in Ukraine, won the Best International Feature Documentary Award at Hot Docs. IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA, which looks at the presidency of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, won Best Documentary at the AFI Dallas International Film Festival. OPERATION FILMMAKER, a film about an Iraqi film student who lands a dream job working on a Hollywood movie, won the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature at the Florida Film Festival.

WALTZ WITH BASHIR, an animated documentary about Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, will be screening in competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. The 2008 San Francisco International Film Festival is currently screening several ITVS domestic and international films including: ASK NOT; FAUBOURG TREME: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans; THE JUDGE AND THE GENERAL; STRANDED: The Andes Plane Crash Survivors; ICE PEOPLE; THE ENGLISH SURGEON; and CHILDREN OF THE SUN.

A LION IN THE HOUSE, which follows five children as they fight against cancer, won the Susan Matsuko Shinagawa LIVESTRONG Cancer Control Leadership Award from the Intercultural Cancer Council.

Kartemquin Films (THE NEW AMERICANS, IN THE FAMILY) won the Commitment to Excellence Award 2008 at the Hugo Television Awards in Chicago.

The Tribeca Film Institute recently announced its 2008 Media Arts Fellowships, which recognize the artistic excellence of 20 film, video and new media artists in the United States with cash awards of $35,000 each. Seven ITVS-funded filmmakers were awarded fellowships, which include Julia Brannum (THE CREEK RUNS RED), Cherien Dabis (AMREEKA), Judith Helfand (A HEALTHY BABY GIRL and THE UPRISING OF '34), Billy Luther (MISS NAVAJO), Hugo Perez (SUMMER SUN WINTER MOON), Laura Poitras (FLAG WARS and MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY) and Jessica Yu (IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL).

Congratulations to all the filmmakers!

top 3. THIS MONTH ON TV
May Programs

TIP: Visit itvs.org/shows to get a listing of all ITVS programming airing in the next few weeks. Don't miss these ITVS presentations in May.

OH, SAIGON
By Doan Hoang
May 2008 on Public Television

A Vietnamese family attempts to resolve its divided past when three brothers––one capitalist, one communist, one anti-war—who fought against each other in the Vietnam War meet again after decades and confront their differences. Meanwhile, two first generation Vietnamese American sisters try to reconcile a difficult past that altered the course of their lives.

TIE A YELLOW RIBBON
By Joy Dietrich
May 2008 on Public Television

TIE A YELLOW RIBBON takes its audience on a journey into the world of Asian American young women. Told through the eyes of Jenny Mason, a Korean adoptee, the story shows a nuanced portrait of the everyday struggles of this under-represented group. Jenny's search for connection and a place to call home in American society is often heartwrenching and ultimately redemptive.

BRIDGE OVER THE WADI
By Barak Heymann and Tomer Heymann
May 4, 2008 at 10 PM on Global Voices on PBS WORLD

In Israel, for the first time, a group of Arab and Jewish parents decide to establish a bi-national, bi-lingual grade school in the Wadi Ara village. BRIDGE OVER THE WADI follows the school's first year and shows how fragile the attempt is to create an environment of co-existence against the backdrop of the complicated reality of the film's subjects.

NA KAMALEI: The Men of Hula
By Lisette Marie Flanary
May 6, 2008 at 10:30 PM on Independent Lens on PBS

Following legendary teacher Robert Cazimero and the only all-male hula school in Hawaii, NA KAMALEI: The Men of Hula goes beyond deep-rooted stereotypes of "grass skirt girls" and reveals a story of Hawaiian pride through the exploration of male roles in the hula tradition—past and present.

DOPING FOR GOLD
By Alison Rooper
May 7, 2008 at 8 PM on Secrets of the Dead on PBS

In Cold War-era East Germany, young female athletes were injected with male hormones and anabolic steroids—all in the name of “international prestige through success in sports.” Twenty years later, many still suffer from the aftereffects—severe physical illness and disabilities. Through personal stories, DOPING FOR GOLD unveils the price these women paid to bring Olympic pride to their country.

STAND UP: Muslim American Comics Come of Age
By Glenn Baker
May 11, 2008 at 10 PM on America at a Crossroads on PBS

This film explores the emergence of Muslim and Arab American comedians in the wake of 9/11, showing how the comics use humor to take on stereotypes about Middle Easterners and the issue of terrorism. STAND UP showcases their comedy and the way it is shaped by the everyday tribulations of their lives.

THE DEVIL NEVER SLEEPS
By Lourdes Portillo
May 11, 2008 at 10 PM on Global Voices on PBS

In this whodunit documentary about family secrets, filmmaker Lourdes Portillo receives a phone call informing her of the mysterious death of her wealthy Mexican uncle Oscar. Officially ruled a suicide, Portillo's relatives claim murder, offering several possible suspects. Traveling to Mexico, Portillo finds a complicated web of family secrets, intrigue, rumor and betrayal that makes her enigmatic uncle's murder seem ever more likely, yet ever more obscure.

THE DAY MY GOD DIED
By Andrew Levine and Geralyn Dreyfous
May 18, 2008 at 10 PM on Global Voices on PBS

Young girls whose lives were shattered by the child sex trade describe the day they were abducted from their villages as "the day my god died." By weaving footage from the brothels of Bombay with these girls' stories, Levine offers an unforgettable examination of the growing plague of child sex slavery.

A DREAM IN DOUBT
By Tami Yeager May 20, 2008 at 10 PM on Independent Lens on PBS One of America’s first post 9/11 hate crime murders punctuated a growing wave of violence in retaliation for the terror attacks. Told from the perspective of the victim’s brother, A DREAM IN DOUBT travels to Mesa, Arizona to reveal a story of national tragedy, murder, community and the American dream.

A WORKING MOM
By Limor Pinhasov and Yaron Kaftori
May 21, 2008 at 9 PM on The Documentary Channel

A divorced mother of two returns to her home and children in Bolivia after 15 years of struggling for a better life in Israel, only to find her family members have become strangers. A WORKING MOM demonstrates the extremes that individuals will go to in order to save their families—sometimes saving and losing them in the same act.