Sinema Academy of Motion Pictures (SAMP) will host a showcase of socially conscious films and events this September at Sinema Old School. Recognizing films as a powerful medium of change and persuasion, with the capacity to reach the masses, Sinema, in collaboration with Legacy XXI, is bringing the International Social Action Film Festival (S:ISAFF) to Singapore for the very first time.

The festival opens on the 9th of September, 2009 (09-09-09) with the highly acclaimed WAR DANCE (Sean Fine & Andrea Nix Fine), a story about the refuge children of war-torn Uganda overcoming tremendous adversity and triumphing over their bleak futures in a national music and dance competition. The presentation of over 50 short and feature length films from around the globe ends on Singapore’s Children’s Day – 1st October – with the closing film HOLLY (Guy Moshe), a powerful film about child prostitution and sex trafficking in Cambodia.

S:ISAFF differs from a regular film festival by creating a strong complement of workshops, dialogue sessions and discussion forums with filmmakers, academics, policy makers, NGOs and concerned citizens to engage audiences on a variety of entertainment and educational levels.  The issues addressed in the films and forums will run the gamut of the Human Condition – exploring human rights, inequality, sustainability as well as children and youth.

S:ISAFF illustrates how films and other social media can be effective tools towards spurring positive change in social action organizations, raising social awareness and increasing socially-conscious behavior in communities. This is part of SAMP’s effort as a Social Enterprise to bring the work of those involved in critical social action efforts to the forefront of the local communities they serve as well as those who can support their work through films as a platform.

A key to the sustainability of any successful social action organization is its ability to communicate its story to the largest possible audience and S:ISAFF aims provides that access and more.

All profits from this festival will go to various selected beneficiaries and as well as towards S:ISAFF 2010. Proceeds from this festival will be audited and full information will be published on this website on 1st December 2009.