Institute of Development Studies

Last Chance to Apply for Real World Film Award

12 May 2009 

5 June is the closing date for entries to the Screen South and Institute of Development Studies (IDS) Real World Award. The £20,000 award will be given to an innovative documentary filmmaker from the Screen South region to make a 20-minute short documentary film, along with a three minute and a thirty second film. The film will be aimed at a global audience and based on the themes of rights, power and change in women’s and men’s lives.

Real World is a pioneering documentary scheme to create and distribute positive images of women in the developing world. Filmmakers collaborate with academics to find stories in their chosen region. They receive training to develop their skills, and £20,000 to make a series of innovative short documentaries to help bring about positive social change by intervening within arenas of representation and public awareness.

The focus of Real World subjects will draw on the rich resource offered by the international research projects that form part of Pathways of Women’s Empowerment programme.

Real World aims to support the talent, skills and innovation of the region’s new and existing filmmaking talent, to influence the next generation of documentary filmmakers and to give filmmakers access to new research that can help bring about positive social change.

2008 Awards

The pilot scheme was launched at the start of 2008, and two sets of films have been produced so far, dealing with women’s lives in Brazil and Palestine. These films were premiered in London on Monday 9 March 2009 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) as part of the annual International Women’s Film Festival - Bird’s Eye View. The films have also been shown at the 2009 Davis Feminist Film Festival, South by South West and A Cineforum event at the RSA in London as part of the London International Documentary Festival. For more information see IDS News.

How to apply

All applicants must submit an application form and supporting documents including a one A4 page treatment on one of the proposed topics. This one page should detail the filmmakers approach, voice and narrative of the proposed topic and must be received no later than noon on 5 June 2009.
Full details of application content and eligibility criteria can be found on the Pathways of Womens Empowerment website.

Photo: Joanna Wheeler, IDS