World’s biggest sustainability film festival showcases films from global legends and gifted filmmakers
Category: Press release | Date: October 17, 2024 | By: Big Syn Institute, London. UK.
The 6th Big Syn International Film Festival opens for screening films, 17 – 26 October 2024. This is the world’s biggest sustainability film festival, reaching over 45 million in 120 countries, led by a Grand Jury of OSCAR, BAFTA and EMMY award-winners and leaders from the United Nations, House of Lords, as well as sustainability, policy and media stalwarts. A dazzling array of nearly 150 films has been selected from hundreds of feature films, shorts, documentaries, animations, micro-shorts and charity films to be screened at the festival.
Viewers are invited to the FREE screenings of the films on www.bigsyn.org and win 2 tickets to the gala awards at Curzon Soho.
An array of over 20 films are running as finalists for the 2024 Piccadilly Lights Spotlight Prize (PLSP), a collaborative initiative between Piccadilly Lights and Big Syn Institute to shine a spotlight on what truly matters, as a part of the Big Syn International Film Festival. To support those films and their mission, viewers can vote for their favourite films with likes on Instagram @bigsyn_film_festival, so that it can be screened on Europe’s biggest screen, London’s iconic Piccadilly Lights.
The festival is promoted by various national and international organisations including major UN agencies such as World Meteorological Agency, International Maritime Organisation and UNRIC, as well as other leading art and culture institutions such as the British Council and Directors UK.
Justine Simons OBE, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said: “The storytelling power of film is a brilliant way to entertain and inform audiences. Big Syn Film Fest will be hosting a wide range of free screenings that will raise awareness about important sustainability issues and inspire urgent action at a time when we are faced with one of humanity’s biggest challenge – climate change. From features to animations, these films will show us that we all have a part to play in looking after our planet, as we build a better London for everyone.”
The films screening will not only entertain, but also enlighten viewers about the big issues faced by our environment, economy and society; climate change, plastic pollution, conservation, biodiversity, mental health, equity, diversity, gender equality and many more burning topics. These films tell relatable human stories of struggle, resilience, adaptation, innovation and change from across the world that can inspire positive actions from the viewers. The festival showcases an exclusive bouquet of films from UK’s marginalised filmmakers (women, LGBTQIA+, ethnic minorities, disabled) and from over 50 national and international charities, including RSPB, Safer London, MIND, London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children, AfghanAid, Water Aid, St Giles trust, Pebbles project (South Africa) and Oscar Foundation (India), amongst others.
Inviting viewers to the festival, the festival’s founders, Dr Ragini G Roy and Dr Sourav Roy, said “The festival features films from student filmmakers to ones from global legends such as OSCAR winners Sir Ian McKellen (X Men, Lord of the Rings) and Sir David Mark Rylance (Spielberg’s The BFG) amongst others; documentaries from acclaimed EMMY and BAFTA winning filmmakers; and shorts from directors of UK’s favourite shows such as Hollyoaks and Emmerdale – there are films to everyone’s taste and preference.”
Winners will be declared on 8th November at the red carpet gala awards ceremony at Curzon Soho, and all the winners will be featured on Europe’s biggest screen, London’s Piccadilly Lights on 14th November 2024.
About the Big Syn International Film Festival.
Big Syn International Film Festival is organised by Big Syn Institute, a part of Centre for Big Synergy, a Civil Society Organisation of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).
Since 2019, the festival has reached over 45 million in 120 countries to create public awareness about sustainability and the United Nations Global Goals or Sustainable Development Goals, using the power of meaningful cinema.
The festival has been led by celebrated sustainability leaders and OSCAR, BAFTA and EMMY winning celebrities such as Gurinder Chadha, OBE (Bend It Like Beckham), Amma Asante, MBE (Belle), OSCAR winner Kevin Willmott (Blackkklansman), Anna Smith (BBC, SKY), Jemima Khan, Baroness Prashar (House of Lords), President Obama’s US Ambassador (Rtd) Howard Gutman, BBC Dragons’ Den green investor Deborah Meaden, BT Group’s Head of environmental sustainability, Gabrielle Giner; Founder of Freegle, Cat Fletcher; Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility guru from London Business School, Prof. Ioannis Ioannou; OSCAR winner Chris Tashima; BAFTA and Cannes award winning filmmaker, Waad Alkateab, and Tom Szaky (Founder Terracycle), to name a few.
Through the films and dialogue, millions of viewers are getting inspired to do more in their own lives because they see the big-picture and how all our lives are interconnected in this modern world. All films touch upon or cover one or more major issues faced by the planet and the people; around social, economic or environmental sustainability such as climate change, climate action, gender inequality, hunger and poverty, discrimination, education, mental health, disability, LGBTQIA+ and many more. The festival screens features, shorts, animations, documentaries, public service announcement, charity films, social media and music videos from independent filmmakers and established production houses, across the globe. Winners are screened in London and worldwide. OSCAR and BAFTA winning films have screened at the festival and vice-versa.
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