The workshop titled "Impact Strategies: Using Film to Drive Change" was held on Sunday, March 9th with the support of Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center - Creative Greece at MOMus-Thessaloniki Museum of Photography, within the context of the Agora of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival. The panel featured Peter Mudamba Mudamba, General Manager - DOCUBOX, EADFF and Abby Sun, Director of Artist Programs, Editor - International Documentary Association. The keynote speaker was Gugi Gumilang Program director - In-Docs & Film programmer - Hot Docs.
The main topic of the conversation revolved around the process of a film becoming a powerful tool for change, while examining the ways one can easily detect the fine qualities of a film, establish clear goals and plan strategies relevant to the target audience. Specific case studies were examined, focusing on how films arouse interest, how they influence politics and make a difference in certain communities. The conversation was prefaced by Thanos Stavropoulos, Agora Manager, before passing the baton to the keynote speaker, Gugi Gumilang who welcomed the speakers and the audience.
The first to speak was Gugi Gumilang, who made a reference to the ability of documentary filmmaking to deeply influence society and lead to meaningful change. He stated that documentaries can be part of a movement for social change, while his personal goal remains the encouragement of filmmakers to think more strategically. He then emphasized that there are four main goals that can guide filmmakers in regard to the maximization of a film’s impact: a change in their own perspective, an increase of general awareness, an adoption of a new behavior and a profound structural change.
Then, Peter Mudamba Mudamba took the floor and first made a case for filmmaking about sensitive matters, such as sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in east Africa, a situation which requires a great deal of sensitivity, rather than basic and simple technical knowledge. Furthermore, he underlined that this situation demands a deeper understanding of lived experiences and an ability to connect with the stories on a more humane level, passing the baton to the second speaker. Abby Sun mentioned the difficulties which documentary filmmakers face when they are confronted with the challenge of effectively describing the probable impact of their work in their grant requests. She then listed a series of advice for the treatment of this rigidity, such as the honesty in their work’s description and also the fact that their aspirations should remain realistic. He concluded by emphasizing that the expected impact which the filmmakers describe in their grant proposals, should always remain consistent with the content and the style of each individual film.
You can watch the entire talk HERE.
