The Artivist Film Festival & Awards is an international film festival and awards ceremony dedicated to recognizing activist efforts of filmmakers, specifically in the areas of human rights, child advocacy, environmental preservation, and animal rights.
The Festival is held annually and tours internationally. Its mission is to strengthen the voice of activist/artists ("artivists"), while raising awareness for global causes. The festival is produced by Artivist Collective, a nonprofit organization founded in August 2003 by Diaky Diaz, Bettina Wolff, and Christopher Riedesel.
The first Artivist Film & Awards Festival was held April 27, 2007 at Hollywood's Egyptian Theater. Honorees were Ed Begley, Jr., Tippi Hedren, Mike Farrell and France Nuyen.
Set to coincide with Earth Day, when the 2nd Annual Artivist Film Festival began on April 20, 2005, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn declared the day "Artivist Day", and among the festival's 2005 honorees were James Cromwell and Mira Sorvino.
The third annual festival was held in Los Angeles on November 9, 2006, and premiered the film Fast Food Nation. Festival honorees included Joaquin Phoenix, Daryl Hannah, and Matthew McConaughey.
Board and honorees
Artivist’s advisory board includes Congressman Dennis Kucinich, actor James Cromwell, actor/director James Haven, and Senator Barbara Boxer. Past honorees include Ted Danson, Alyssa Milano, Claes Nobel, James Cromwell, Mira Sorvino, Ed Begley, Jr., Tippi Hedren, Mike Farrell, France Nuyen, Joaquin Phoenix, Daryl Hannah, and Matthew McConaughey, among others.
Best Feature - Artivist Spirit: "Love Hate Love" directed by Dana Nachman and Don HardyBest Short - Artivist Spirit: "Crooked Beauty" directed by Ken Paul RosenthalBest Feature - Children's Advocacy: "Surfing Soweto" directed by Sara BlecherBest Short - Children's Advocacy: "Grace" directed by Meagan KellyBest Feature - Animal Advocacy: "Green" directed by Patrick RouxelBest Short - Animal Advocacy: "Saving Pelican 895" directed by Irene Taylor BrodskyBest Feature - Environmental Preservation: "Spoil" directed by Trip JenningsBest Short - Environmental Preservation: "The Leaves Keep Falling" directed by Julie WinokurBest Feature - International Human Rights: "Because We Were Beautiful" directed by Frank van OschBest Short - International Human Rights: "Umoja" directed by Elizabeth TadicBest Feature - Artivist Spirit: "ReGeneration" directed by Philip MontgomeryBest Short - Artivist Spirit: "Arena" directed by Jota AronackBest Feature - Children's Advocacy: "Kids of the Majestic" directed by Dylan VerrechiaBest Short - Children's Advocacy: "Sarah" directed by Brandon HessBest Feature - Animal Advocacy: "Africa's Lost Eden" directed by James ByrneBest Short - Animal Advocacy: "Albatrocity" directed by J. Ollie Lucks, Iain Frengley, Edward SaltauBest Feature - Environmental Preservation: "Deep Green" directed by Matt BriggsBest Short - Environmental Preservation: "The Krill is Gone" directed by Jeffrey BostBest Feature - International Human Rights: "Complexo - Universo Paralelo" directed by Mário PatrocinioBest Short - International Human Rights: "Mine: Story of a Sacred Mountain"Best Feature - Artivist Spirit: "Intelligent Life" directed by Brian MaloneBest Short - Artivist Spirit: "Rough Cut" directed by Taghreed SaadehBest Feature - Children's Advocacy: "Children of War" directed by Bryan SingleBest Short - Children's Advocacy: "The One Wayz" directed by Linda ChavezBest Feature - Animal Advocacy: "Ice Bears of the Beaufort" directed by Arthur C. Smith IIIBest Short - Animal Advocacy: "Abe" directed by Khen ShalemBest Feature - Environmental Preservation: "Belonging" directed by Gerard UngermanBest Short - Environmental Preservation: "Urubus têm Asas (Vultures Have Wings)" directed by Marcos Negrão and Andre RangelBest Feature - International Human Rights: "La Mission" directed by Peter BrattBest Short - International Human Rights: "Intersection" directed by Jae Woe KimBest Feature - Artivist Spirit: "Zeitgeist: Addendum" directed by Peter Joseph (This was the festival opening movie)Best Short - Artivist Spirit: "Sovereignty" directed by Jonathan SaleBest Feature - International Human Rights: "They Turned Our Desert Into Fire" directed by Marck BreckeBest Short - International Human Rights: "Tibet: Beyond Fear" directed by Michael PerlmanBest Feature - Children's Advocacy: "Bomb Harvest" directed by Kim MordauntBest Short - Children's Advocacy: "Returned: Child Soldiers of Nepal's Maoist Army" directed by Robert KoenigBest Feature - Animal Advocacy: "Companions to None" directed by Bill BuchananBest Short - Animal Advocacy: "Blinders"' directed by Donald MossBest Feature - Environmental Preservation: "One Water" directed by Sanjeev ChatterjeeBest Short - Environmental Preservation: "Eudaimonia" directed by Jude ShingleBest Feature - Artivist Spirit: "Zeitgeist" directed by Peter JosephBest Short - Artivist Spirit: "The Rich Have Their Own Photographers" directed by Ezra BooksteinBest Feature - International Human Rights: "American Drug War" directed by Kevin BoothBest Short - International Human Rights: "The Worst Job in the World" directed by Jens PedersenBest Feature - Children's Advocacy: "Glue Boys" directed by Phil HamerBest Short - Children's Advocacy: "Girl Stars: Anita the Beekeeper" directed by Vikash NowlakhBest Feature - Animal Advocacy: "Beyond Closed Doors" directed by Hugh DorigoBest Short - Animal Advocacy: "Sharks - Stewards of the Reef" directed by Holiday JohnsonBest Feature - Environmental Preservation: "Out of Balance" directed by Tom JacksonBest Short - Environmental Preservation: "Anthropology 101" directed by Wayne BrittendonBest Short - Human Rights: "A QUESTION OF LOYALTY" directed by Randall WilkinsBest Feature - Human Rights: "Occupation 101" directed by Sufyan Omeish and Abdallah OmeishBest Short - Children's Advocacy: "DAUGHTERS AND SONS: PREVENTING CHILD TRAFFICKING IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE" directed by Sarah FeinbloomBest Feature - Children's Advocacy: "SITA: A GIRL OF JAMBU" directed by Kathleen ManBest Short - International Environmental Preservation: "FREEDOM FUELS" directed by Martin O'BrienBest Feature - International Environmental Preservation: "Crude Impact" directed by James Jandak WoodBest Short - Animal Advocacy: "THE MEATRIX II" directed by Louis FoxBest Feature - Animal Advocacy: "MAD COWBOY" directed by Dr. Michael TobiasBest Short - Artivist Spirit: "BELIEVE" directed by Synthian SharpBest Feature - Artivist Spirit: "CLASS ACT" directed by Sara SacknerBest Short – Environmental Preservation: "OIL AND WATER" directed by Corwin FergusBest Feature– Environmental Preservation: "OIL ON ICE" directed by Dale DjerassiBest Short – Animal Advocacy: "WITNESS" directed by Jennifer SteinBest Feature – Animal Advocacy: "Earthlings" directed by Shaun MonsonBest Short – International Human Rights: "Seoul Train" directed by Jim Butterworth, Lisa Sleeth & Aaron LubarskyBest Feature – International Human Rights: "TRUDELL" directed by Heather RaeBest Short – Children's Advocacy: "HUMMINGBIRD" directed by Holly MosherBest Feature – Children's Advocacy: "STOLEN CHILDHOODS" directed by Len MorrisBest Short – Artivist Spirit: "EMMANUEL'S GIFT" directed by Lisa Lax and Nancy LaxBest Feature – Artivist Spirit: "HOPE" directed by Catherine MargerinBest Feature – Environmental Preservation: "BLUE VINYL" directed by Judith HelflandBest Short– Environmental Preservation: "GOOD RIDDANCE" directed by Nick HilligossBest Feature – Animal Rights: "CHATTEL" directed by Rebecca HarrellBest Short– Animal Rights: "4 DAYS" directed by Richard HauckBest Feature – Children's Advocacy: "BORN INTO BROTHELS" directed by Ross Kauffman and Zana BriskiBest Short – Children's Advocacy: "OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER" directed by Joel VenetBest Feature – Human Rights: "WE INTERRUPT THIS EMPIRE" directed by Rana FreedmanBest Short – Human Rights: "BID 'EM IN" directed by Neal SopataBest Feature – Artivist Spirit: "A LIFE OF DEATH" directed by Dawn WestlakeBest Short – Artivist Spirit: "OUTSIDE THE LINES", Directed by Markus StilmanAudience Award: "NOTHING WITHOUT YOU" directed by Ted Mattison and Paul Kelleher