Finalists for 2011 PUMA.Creative Impact Award Announced at Durban International Film Festival

DURBAN, South Africa, July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Today PUMA.Creative and Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation announced the five finalists for the first annual PUMA.Creative Impact Award. The €50,000 award honours the documentary film that has made the most significant impact. The films cover environmental issues, social justice or global conflict.

The documentaries will be judged by an elite jury that includes: Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, Morgan Spurlock (Academy Award-nominated Director of "Super Size Me"), Orlando Bagwell (Director of the JustFilms initiative at the Ford Foundation), Emmanuel Jal (musician/activist), and Thandie Newton (BAFTA award-winning actress).

Morgan Spurlock said, "Finally an award that acknowledges the unique role documentary plays in society."

The 2011 finalists are:

• The Age of Stupid (2009), Director: Franny Armstrong, Producer: Lizzie Gillett

This film, set in 2055, looks back on the damage caused by climate destruction.

• Burma VJ (2008), Director: Anders Østergaard, Producer:

LiseLense-Møller

An undercover camera in Burma helps shed light on the country's happenings.

• The End of The Line (2009), Director: Rupert Murray, Producer:  

Claire Lewis and George Duffield

The film focuses on the devastating impact of overfishing.

• The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court (2009),

Director: Pamela Yates, Producer: Paco de Onís

The film highlights struggles between the International Criminal Court and world superpowers.

• Trouble The Water (2008), Director and Producer: Tia Lessin and Carl Deal

An aspiring rap artist survives natural disaster and finds new beginnings.

"Film is a unique and compelling medium for exploring who we are; a tool for reflection as well as a catalyst for affecting social change," said Mark Coetzee, Program Director PUMAVision and Chief Curator, PUMA.Creative.

Beadie Finzi, founding director of the Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation added, "The five documentaries - all acclaimed works of filmmaking - reflect urgent issues of today, and have been used by the filmmakers to create change on corporate, political and social levels.

The winning film will be announced at the PUMA.Creative and Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation Gala in London on October 11, 2011.

The PUMA.Creative Impact Award is one of six awards and programmes made possible through a partnership between PUMA.Creative and Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation. For award information, visit: http://www.britdoc.org/impactaward; for press materials/images, visit: http://puma.digitalnewsagency.com.

SOURCE PUMA.Creative and Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation