Film 4 Change and AMFM Fest are proud to announce a wonderful partnership with Journeys in Film, a project of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, focused on educating through global understanding. “This will allow us to strengthen our mission of bringing community together through the power of story. It will help us provide support for the educators wanting to use film as a means to teach awareness, tolerance and understanding as well,” said founder Rich Henrich.
AMFM Fest, the four-day art, music, film and more festival will be held June 13-16 at the Mary Pickford Theater and surrounding town square. The festival will feature an art walk,live music, inspiring documentaries and narratives as well as laughs provided by Graham Elwood and the Comedy Film Nerds. For more details, go to www.amfmfest.com. Tickets start at $5 and passes begin at $20. Day passes and full fest passes are on sale now!
The organization’s spokesman, Liam Neeson shares the impact of story on his own life in his letter of support for Journeys in Film and the power of film.
In Liam Neeson’s Words:
The experience of playing Oscar Schindler in Steven Spielberg’s film “Schindler’s List” deepened my perception not only of the Holocaust, but of the importance of understanding the issues of intolerance and hatred. Being in the public eye has afforded me many opportunities to become involved with various organizations dedicated to teaching tolerance.
Journeys in Film is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching cross-cultural understanding, social studies, media and visual literacy and geography to middle school students through the use of quality foreign film.
Journeys chooses films that speak to adolescent students and impart a relevant message. Through the shared experience of film viewing, an increased awareness and appreciation of different cultures can be achieved, and from this new understanding and familiarity, compassion among school-aged children for their peers in other cultures may be born. That, I believe, is a worthy objective.
Through this educational initiative, we are encouraging a new generation of documentary, independent, and world cinema lovers. As most of us can remember, we identified with certain films we saw as children. Film had a definite effect during our formative years. Most teenagers today will have similar experiences. Journeys can help make those experiences better and the effects more positive by providing quality films and dedicated educational material.
If we are committed to the dream of world peace, we must first educate our children and teach them understanding and compassion for other people, races, and cultures. I can’t help but consider how wonderful it would be, if through our efforts at Journeys, we help change attitudes about people who are different from us.
I want to help make teaching through films an institution in our children’s education. Please share my vision of a more harmonious world where understanding and dialogue are key to a healthy and peaceful present and future. I encourage you to participate in the Journeys program either as a student, educator, film studio, or through financial support.
Sincerely, Liam neeson
