Congratulations to @thenomadmumke for ENCHUKUNOTO (THE RETURN) being on the SIMA shortlist 🎉🎊 Repost from @simastudios 🌟SIMA 2025 SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED 🌟(2|6) From climate activism to cultural preservation, from religion to reclamation, these works shine a light on the beauty and complexity of the human condition—daring us to confront our world’s shadows while embracing the promise of a brighter, more equitable future. Their narratives weave together stark truths with breathtaking artistry, illuminating not only the depths of human adversity but also the boundless potential of humanity’s courage and ingenuity. Stories from 37 countries advance as finalists in the 13th Annual Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA 2025)! Meet the finalists: 👉 FULL LIST 🔗See Bio 🔗 👉 Category 2 of 6 | SHORT DOCUMENTARY FINALISTS BELOW: A MOVE (خونه) | Elahe Esmaili | Iran CHASING ROO | Skye Fitzgerald | Australia ENCHUKUNOTO (THE RETURN) | Laissa Malih | Kenya @reciprocityproj ETERNAL FATHER | Ömer Sami | Denmark M/OTHER | Iris Zaki | Israel MOURNING SUNSHINE | Maria Besora and Pep Garrido | Spain ONLY IF THE BABY CRIES... | Farooq Shadab | India PUBLIC DEFENDER | Andrea Kalin | United States @publicdefenderfilm STRANGLED | Robin Narciso and Thomas Cristofoletti | Cambodia THE LAST ICE AGE | Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee and Adam Loften | Iceland UNTIL HE’S BACK | Jacqueline Baylon | Morocco @jacquelinebaylon WE EXIST IN MEMORY (EXISTIMOS EN LA MEMORIA) | Darian Woehr | United States, Venezuela @thehomecollectiveorg WOULDN’T MAKE IT ANY OTHER WAY | Hao Zhou | United States ————— The 13th Annual SIMA Awards are powered by SIMA Studios, The Foundation for Systemic Change, Human Sustainability Project, FIPADOC, International Documentary Association (IDA), Firelight Media, DC/DOX, Double Exposure, Undocumented Filmmakers Collective, Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC), Documentary Australia, Armenian Film Society, GEN Center for Arts and Sciences, and Instituto Multimedia DerHumALC (IMD). #SIMA2025 #FilmFestival #Documentary #Docs #ImpactCinema #SIMADocs #FilmFestival
About us
Our Mission: Upstander Project uses storytelling to amplify silenced narratives, develop upstander skills to challenge systemic injustice, and nurture compassionate, courageous relationships that honor the interconnection of all beings and the Earth. Our Vision: We envision a world rooted in responsibility and respect for all where upstanders confront injustice and repair harm to ensure all beings thrive together. What We Do: Upstander Project is a Boston-based organization founded in 2009 by Emmy® Award-winning documentarian Adam Mazo, and educator and curriculum designer, Dr. Mishy Lesser. We produce social issue documentaries, design companion teaching guides and lesson plans for educators, facilitate teacher workshops, and present our movies at film festivals, international conferences and educational and cultural institutions. Upstander Project uses our documentaries and learning resources to dismantle hurtful and stereotypical racist ideas. Film screenings are paired with conversations and teacher workshops. Our purpose is to create opportunities for deep engagement that inspire teachers and their students to become upstanders by creating more inclusive curricula, schools, public conversations and spaces.
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http://upstanderproject.org
External link for Upstander Project
- Industry
- Non-profit Organizations
- Company size
- 2-10 employees
- Headquarters
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Type
- Nonprofit
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Boston, Massachusetts, US
Employees at Upstander Project
Updates
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Folks in Maine, check out this screening on the 23rd! Repost from @permanentcommission.ritp Join us and Wabanaki REACH for a screening of Dawnland on January 23! The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations is partnering with Wabanaki REACH to offer a film screening of the movie “Dawnland” directed by Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip. This screening will be followed by a panel discussion addressing the intersections between the Indian Child Welfare Act, Criminal Legal System Reform, and Food Access for Indigenous communities. "Dawnland" is the untold story of Indigenous child removal in the US through the nation's first-ever government-endorsed truth and reconciliation commission, which investigated the devastating impact of Maine’s child welfare practices on the Wabanaki people. By educating ourselves about the reality of this history, we work to ensure atrocities such as these never happen again. Register to attend: pcritp.me/Dawnland
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As the year comes to a close, we invite you to join us in building a more just and compassionate world. Your support enables the Upstander Project to achieve our immediate goals of amplifying unheard voices, inspiring meaningful reflection, and driving change through the power of storytelling. Explore opportunities to make a one-time gift, set up a monthly pledge, or contribute through options like a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), a gift of stock, or a corporate matching program. Every contribution strengthens our collective impact. Together, we can plant seeds of courage and connection to grow a future filled with upstanders. Support Upstander Project today: https://lnkd.in/gRe57NVj
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Bounty continues to shed light on the mostly ignored history of the Phips scalp bounty proclamation and the horror this scalp law unleashed on local Indigenous communities. The film is currently playing in the black box theatre inside Boston’s Old State House where the scalp laws were signed and militias brought Native scalps and captives to claim cash and land rewards. Bounty shows “the importance of not only telling the story of the Phips Proclamation, but doing so in the physical space where these and other decisions were made that so greatly affected the Penobscot and other Indigenous peoples.” Learn more about the film and installation from an article in The Cambridge Day here: https://ow.ly/9ot850UfXzM
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🎁 By giving just $1 or $5 each month, you can become part of a collective movement that sustains our mission. With thousands of subscribers in our community, the impact of hundreds of people making small, recurring gifts would be extraordinary.🌟 Your recurring support, even if just $1, will help ensure that we can continue to operate, expand our reach, and fulfill our mission to foster a world where all beings and the Earth thrive together. 🌱 Donate at https://lnkd.in/eMEyEi6X ❤️ #upstanderproject #beanupstander #supportupstanders
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Folks in North Andover, Massachusetts can watch Dawnland and Bounty in-person at the theater in the North Andover Historical Society on Tuesday, January 7 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Engage with Historical Society staff after the screening to discuss the films and learn about the connection to this specific part of Turtle Island. Upstander Project films are regularly being screened around the country and online! You can register for the North Andover screening and see upcoming screenings of our films here: https://ow.ly/BGKX50UfXoR
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🎁 By giving just $1 or $5 each month, you can become part of a collective movement that sustains our mission. With thousands of subscribers in our community, the impact of hundreds of people making small, recurring gifts would be extraordinary.🌟 Your recurring support, even if just $1, will help ensure that we can continue to operate, expand our reach, and fulfill our mission to foster a world where all beings and the Earth thrive together. 🌱 Donate at https://lnkd.in/eMEyEi6X ❤️ #upstanderproject #beanupstander #supportupstanders
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Welcome to Upstander Project's new Development Director! Kim MacEwan (she/her) is the development director for Upstander Project, bringing a career-long commitment to nonprofits that champion children’s well-being, environmental sustainability, and social equity. Kim has led impactful initiatives that provide education, arts, and wellness to underserved communities. With a background in fundraising, strategic leadership, and relationship-building, Kim excels at driving sustainable change and fostering meaningful dialogues. Guided by empathy and a dedication to amplifying diverse perspectives, Kim works to bridge missions and outcomes across organizations and communities. Outside of work, Kim enjoys reading, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with family where they reside in the territory of the Timucua Tribe.
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All of the films that make up Reciprocity Project Season Two continue to make waves at festivals around the world! We are incredibly honored to be part of this project, and thrilled to see the films win accolades: ENCHUKUNOTO (The Return) by Laissa Malih was nominated for Best Short Documentary at the International Association of Documentary awards, one of the highest honors in the documentary field. Africa International Film Festival awarded Best Short Documentary to Ma ŋaye ka Masaala a se ka Wɔmɛti (From God To Man) by Lanasana Mansaray. Learn about Reciprocity Project here: https://lnkd.in/g3VDXUs5
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