SMARTPHONE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL 2019
The GLOBAL CITIZEN Smartphone Short Film Festival is CARAVAN’s first juried international film festival, and it is focused on what it means to be a “global citizen” in today's world of challenges, conflicts and complexities. Between June 17- August 16, 2019, an “open call” was issued to anyone in the world with a smartphone to share their vision through a 3-minute-or-less-length film of what it means to be a responsible member of our “global family,” toward making our world more equal, compassionate, fair, peaceful and sustainable.
526 film submissions were received and an independent panel of judges selected 30 films for the festival as the Official Selection, as well as 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Awards, plus an Honorable Mention. The films were premiered at a public screening on September 20, 2019 in Wheaton, Illinois, USA (greater Chicago area), and were shown at the Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA) in Seattle, Washington, USA in January-February 2020.
We would like to express our thanks to the hundreds of filmmakers around the world who produced and submitted films that shared their vision of what it means to be a responsible member of our global community today.
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in these films are those of the filmmakers. They do not necessarily purport to reflect the exact opinions or views of CARAVAN.
OFFICIAL SELECTION
1ST PRIZE AWARD WINNER STAY WITH ME
DIRECTOR: FATEN GADDES (TUNISIA)
A visual portrayal of how we are increasingly alienated from each other due to technology (mobile phones in this case), and a plea for connection and relationships in modern society.
2ND PRIZE AWARD WINNER BREATH
DIRECTOR: MEHMET CAN MICIK (TURKEY)
A powerful film about a choking man in Turkey is suddenly saved by a homeless Syrian refugee, who was formerly a doctor in Syria.
3RD PRIZE AWARD WINNER THE WALL
DIRECTOR: FARIDEH NADERI (IRAN)
A film on not letting walls imposed by society and culture prevent us from connecting with ‘the other'.
HONORABLE MENTION SAVE OUR ELEPHANTS
DIRECTOR: FRANCIS ELEGWA DEMESI (KENYA)
A creative rap music video made by African youth against the poaching of elephants.
MY SARDASHT
DIRECTOR: ZIBA ARZHANG (IRAN)
A powerful film telling the story of how an Iranian girl’s city was bombed in war and her family was killed, through the creative medium of a carpet she is weaving.
RONALDO
DIRECTOR: ABDUL HAMID MANDGAR (AFGHANISTAN)
A film on the importance of supporting those with disabilities.
SILENT LIGHTHOUSE
DIRECTOR: FARSHAD GHAFARI & PAYAM LAGHERI (IRAN)
A poignant film about the plight of refugees crossing the Mediterranean into Europe.
THINK ROUND: GLOBAL CITIZEN
DIRECTOR: HEIDI HARDIN (USA)
A film about how immigrants contribute to a healthier America.
THE TREE
DIRECTOR: ABHISHEK KUMAR (INDIA)
A film addressing the importance of the presence of trees and nature in our world.
THE CAPTIVITY
DIRECTOR: KISHOR LAXMI HAMBIRRAO LONDHE (INDIA)
A film about the importance of freedom of speech.
MIRA
DIRECTOR: BASTIEN SIMON & SOPHIE KIEFFER (FRANCE)
An inspiring story of an immigrant from Cote d’Ivoire settling into Europe.
BÉRLŐK - THE TENANTS
DIRECTOR: REGŐS ÁBEL (HUNGARY)
A film about a creative couple highlighting the challenges of racial discrimination.
WHITEBOARD DIRECTOR: ALIASGHAR BEHBOODI (IRAN)
A film about child labor and how it deprives children the opportunity for education.
HORMIGAS - ANTS
DIRECTOR: RICARD IZQUIERDO (SPAIN)
An animated film of the importance of community by supporting those who suffer.
UNBOUNDED
DIRECTOR: LESLIE BROCKETT (USA)
A film on how learning about other cultures through travel teaches us about our commonality toward uniting us and transcending our differences.
CHILDREN OF MORIA
DIRECTOR: SAID REZA ADIB & MOHAMMAD JAVAD MOUSAVI (AFGHANISTAN)
A documentary of the plight of refugees and their children in the Moria refugee camp in Lesvos, Greece.
IN THE TEMPLE OF THE WORLD
DIRECTOR: TAIBA FARAJ (BAHRAIN)
A visual call to honor the diversity of our world and live peacefully together, following goodness and beauty.
BARBIE'S MAGIC BOX
DIRECTOR: BURAK KUM (TURKEY)
A film about addressing today’s apathy towards war and suffering around the world.
NEGATIVE
DIRECTOR: ANTONELLA BARBERA (ITALY)
A film about the negative power of stereotyping.
SANJOG - A CONNECTION
DIRECTOR: ASHUTOSH PATTNAIK (INDIA)
A film on the importance of understanding and connecting with those with disabilities.
263
DIRECTOR: VINAMRA PANCHARIA (INDIA)
A film on the importance of giving all children an opportunity for education.
PAPER FLOWER
DIRECTOR: ELHAM SADAT KAZEMI (IRAN)
A film about our inherent need for nature.
I AM NOT AFRAID
DIRECTOR: GOHU & MERICK (FRANCE)
A child innocently narrates the journey their family took across Mediterranean to Europe to escape civil war.
THE FENCE
DIRECTOR: ALI ZARE GHANATNOWI (IRAN)
An animated story about the struggle for freedom and human rights and how both suffering and perseverance opens the door to that liberty.
MY STORY: PAUL
DIRECTOR: JAMILLAH VAN DER HULST (NETHERLANDS)
A personal story that advocates for the value of education.
ANNISA
DIRECTOR: BARRY PUTRA (INDONESIA)
A sensitive film that addresses the challenge of same sex attraction in conservative cultures.
INNOCENT WORDS
DIRECTOR: MAXIME TOUROUTE (FRANCE)
A film on the plight of the homeless.
DOOMSDAY CLOCK
DIRECTOR: ARSHIA ZEINALI (IRAN)
A film about the deforestation of our world.
ARTICLE 1
DIRECTOR: PASCAL JOUSSE (MOROCCO)
School children point out the equality of men and women.
GARDEN OF EDEN
DIRECTOR: MARYAM I ORAMAH (NIGERIA)
A comic film about a man that decides to take the environment around him for granted and is then receives a surprise visit from Mother Nature.
Head over to our YouTube channel to view all the films
