This docu-style film titled Victoria & Selvin shows how help from NYC-based nonprofit Trickle Up has helped program participants in Guatemala.
Directed by Mark Littman of BODEGA, the short introduces us to Victoria who has faced the challenge her son Selvin’s physical disabilities have had on his ability to work by opening her own successful family store. Putting the business into motion was funding from Trickle Up which enabled the family to buy 100 pounds of chicken meat. The investment paid off as profits from the sale of the chicken were put into other goods and a small neighborhood store. Now the family is sustaining itself and Selvin has plans to grow the store and is more optimistic about his future.
This and another short give viewers a taste of the BODEGA-created immersive 360° video experience which place viewers in five environments that are pillars of the hardworking Guatemalan community. The VR component was crafted to elevate the level of empathy that viewers feel by surrounding them with the challenges that these communities face. The experiences can be viewed with Google Cardboard as well as through Trickle Up’s site in 360° video and on mobile and web browsers.
The BODEGA team created immersive snapshots of Victoria’s savings group’s space, Selvin’s family store, Selvin’s family dwelling and yard and the bustling village marketplace.
“Being able to visit these poverty-stricken areas, meeting the people and seeing how much they are able to live on a daily basis is really impactful,” said Littman. “The VR component of this project will really enable viewers to have that same experience and foster a deeper understanding of what an important impact this organization really can have.”
Trickle Up works with the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people to help them achieve financial independence and social connection.
CreditsClient Trickle Up Production BODEGA Mark Littman, director; Min Park, producer. Editorial Northern Lights Chris Carson, editor; Robin Hall, exec producer. Audio SuperExploder Brady Hearn, sound designer/mixer; Meredith Nazzaro, sr. producer.
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More