Impact DOCS Awards

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

La Jolla, CA, July 2022 - The Impact DOCS Awards goal is to discover and honor the achievements of filmmakers who produce high quality documentaries. Impact DOCS puts filmmakers first and provides a direct opportunity for recognition and publicity for high quality productions. It is international in scope and has granted awards to producers in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, and the United States.

~ Best of Show ~ 

Sarah Jones – Sell / Buy / Date

Sarah Jones (USA), Sell/Buy/Date, Doc Feature – From executive producer three-time Oscar-winner Meryl Streep – comes “Sell/Buy/Date”, a heartfelt, candid, creative and witty doc that follows the exceedingly talented Tony Award-winning playwright, performer and comedian Sarah Jones. In a masterful intersection of participatory doc/narrative film hybrid – “Sell/Buy/Date” tackles themes of inequality of criminal justice, race, sexism and poverty through the lens of the debate around the sex industry. Sarah’s own personal story and complexities are reflected in each of four colorful multi-cultural characters she is known for (and she plays all of them!), as she explores her own personal relationship to one of the most urgent issues at the intersection of feminism, race, power and identity in our current cultural climate: sex work – is it exploitative or empowering? Weaving together poignant interviews with current sex workers and genuinely personal revelations while unpacking her own beliefs and biases – Sarah and her exquisitely creative team create a doc with wide appeal – that is at once enlightening, engaging and deeply moving. Beautiful cinematography by award-winning cinematographer Joshua Z. Weinstein and flawless editing by Emmy-nominee Melissa McCoy. It’s amusing, it faces some hard truths and in the end is compassionately moving. This inspired doc is sure to find a wide audience it deserves. Features Oscar-nominee Bryan Cranston, Emmy-nominee Ilana Glazer and Rosario Dawson.

 ~ Outstanding Achievement -

David Allen – My Garden of a Thousand Bees

David Allen (United Kingdom), My Garden of a Thousand Bees, Doc Feature – Emmy-winner Allen’s fascinating, engaging and moving documentary – filmed and narrated by wildlife filmmaker Emmy-winner and BAFTA nominee Martin Dohrn. Chosen to open the 40th anniversary of the Nature series on PBS, this film is about a veteran wildlife cameraman who is bee obsessed. Seeking refuge from the pandemic in a small city garden, he is filming the wild bees that live there with mind-blowing results. Crafting ingenious ways to vividly film these tiny creatures in extreme slow motion he introduces us to many species of bees including giant bumblebees, scissor bees the size of a mosquito and so much more. But more importantly, he is developing a close relationship with an individual bee he named Nicky and follows through her entire life. Brilliantly executed in every way, including ground-breaking cinematography and wonderful sound design – this doc is utterly charming, exceptionally crafted and unexpectedly emotional.  Aired PBS Nature.

Michael Wech – Covid Century – The Pandemic Preparedness Dilemma

Michael Wech (Germany), COVID CENTURY – The Pandemic Preparedness Dilemma, Doc Feature – German Televsion Award winner Wech and International Emmy winner Leopold Hoesch, present a deftly directed, brilliantly researched and exquisitely delivered doc about the months before the Coronavirus pandemic which could have changed the course of history and saved millions of people. COVID-19 claimed millions of lives and brought the world to a temporary paralysis, but was it really inevitable that the pandemic would take on such an extent? The film highlights key moments of the first ten weeks after the discovery of the disease. Jeremy Farrar, one of the world’s leading scientist, says, “We could have stopped the pandemic.” This investigative film scrutinizes the events around the first ten weeks immediately following the outbreak – illustrating how the Chinese authorities withheld crucial information and impeded attempts to share the identity of the new pathogen with the international community. This fatal delay circumvented global containment strategies hindering the development of much needed diagnostic tests and vaccines.

 ~ Award of Excellence Special Mention ~

Susan Kucera (USA), Hot Money, Doc Feature – from Executive Producer Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges with deft direction from award winning Kucera – with wit, satire and historical context, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, General Wesley Clark and his son Wes Clark Jr. take us on a journey unpacking the circulatory system connecting complex economic forces and the impact on our planet and our lives.

Martin Zied (USA), Voice Messages, Doc Feature – Six-time Emmy-winner Zied’s inspiring direction creates a thought provoking and fascinating deep dive into how we use our voices, how to protect them and what happens when we lose, or sometimes find our voice. Featuring Linda Ronstadt, Vince Gill, Take 6 and an array of voice experts and heart-warming stories.

Lorraine Kabbindi White and Mike Hill (Australia), Deadly Heart, Doc Feature – The inspiring story of remote Aboriginal communities in Australia and innovative strategies to eliminate Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) despite failures of governments to eliminate this preventable disease. Compelling interviews with community leaders, informative, shocking, moving and ultimately hopeful.

Stephan Wellink and Robert de Young (Australia), Sam Spiegel: Conquering Hollywood, Doc Feature – Explores the dynamic career of a tycoon of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Sam Spiegel. His impressive legacy of includes award-winning films including three Oscars. A skillfully researched, tightly edited, well-paced and engaging doc. Featuring Oscar-winner Sir Ben Kingsley, Oscar-nominee Dame Janet Suzman.

Michael Eric Hurtig (USA), Fast-Forward: Look Into Your Future, Doc Feature – Narrated by Rosario Dawson, a compelling look at aging and our relationship to it – including MIT developed “aging” suits, encouraging family dialog and acceptance. Inspires viewers to see their future in a new light and to work through family issues to age gracefully together. Original song by Grammy nominated Andrew Bird. Aired PBS

Tim Huebschle (Namibia), More Than Just a Game, Doc Short- beautifully crafted and tightly woven. In the African town of Katutura at a basketball school, children escape the realities of ghetto life and empower themselves– but it’s more than just a game. It’s great care and the hope for a better future.  GIZ – Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH.

Michel Garcia (France), Ora, Doc Short – Garcia’s exceptionally crafted doc features Éric Dargent, Jérôme Bonellli and Benoît Moreau, men with their own “handicaps” and a shared love of surfing and changing lives. Deft direction, exceptional editing and compelling fresh soundtrack support beautiful cinematography and an emotionally pitched story-telling. Inspiring in every way. Avalon Creative. 

Michael Wech (Germany), Silent Pandemic – The Global Fight against Antimicrobial Resistance, Doc Feature – Wech’s exceptional research and direction deliver a disquieting doc. The world is in an ominous time: bacteria are building resistance to antibiotics faster than new antibiotics are being developed – creating a frightening and uncertain future. Producer Emmy-winner Leopold Hoesch, Broadview TV.

Sonita Gale (United Kingdom), Hostile, Doc Feature – Highlights the UK’s complicated relationship with its migrant communities. The film focuses on the impact of the evolving ‘hostile environment’ policies that target migrants. Told through the eyes of those impacted, Gale delivers a doc that is both enlightening and challenging forcing citizens to confront their own beliefs.

Yorick Niess (Germany), The World Cruzer, Doc Feature – Creative and captivating it confronts  the viewer to examine their viewpoints as we follow “The World Cruzer”. He travels through a future of nature pollution and climate chaos and shares insights and poignant messages about the many facets of being human. A modern movie with contemporary electronic music from Berlin clubs.

 ~ Award of Excellence ~ 

Beto Sporkens, Imagica Audiovisual (Brazil), ÁTIMO (SPARK), Documentary Short

Chris Haigh (USA), Song For Hope, Documentary Feature, Viewer Impact: Motivational / Inspirational

Derreck Roemer and Neil Graham (Canada), Come Clean, Documentary Feature, Direction

Emily Branham (USA), Being BeBe: the BeBe Zahara Benet Documentary, Documentary Feature, Women Filmmakers, LGBTQ+

Faith Haney and Simon Geerlofs (USA), In Our Hands – Long Live the Kings, Documentary Short

Gabriella Garcia-Pardo (Morocco), The Bardia, Documentary Short

Gary Null and Roland Marconi (USA), The Biological Aging Challenge, Documentary Feature

Holly Morris (USA), Exposure, Documentary Feature

Jaswant Dev Shrestha, Creative Heights Entertainment (USA), Festivals, Documentary Short, Direction

Jean-Christophe Gonon (France), 10 ROUNDS, Documentary Feature

Julie Anne Mirlicourtois and Kayla McCormick (USA), Across, Documentary Short

Michael Crocker (USA), Lead Change, Documentary Short, African American

Neil Losin (USA), sym-bee-o-sis, Documentary Short

Neil Losin (USA), The Power of Pollinators, Documentary Short

Paul Kim (USA), The Book of Joshua, Religion / Ethics

Timothy Syndrome Alliance (United Kingdom), Rare Strikes Back, Documentary Short, Use of Film / Video for Social Change

Topher Field (Australia), Battleground Melbourne, Documentary Feature

Viktor Björnström and Kajsa Määttä (Sweden), Tracks, Cinematography

Yorick Niess (Germany), The World Cruzer, Creativity / Originality

 ~ Award of Merit Special Mention ~

Betty Rodgers and Ken Rodgers (USA), I Married the War, Documentary Feature, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Darla Rae (USA), Courageous Warriors; Beauty from the Ashes, Original Score (Composed by Timothy Buckman), Viewer Impact: Motivational / Inspirational

Dr. Sohan Roy (India), Black Sand, Documentary Short
Garrett Clancy (USA), Crazy Cat Lady, Documentary Feature
Hugo Dayan (France), So, still digging?, Documentary Feature
Ian Robert Smith (United Kingdom), UNSEEN, Documentary Short
Koko VanDernoot (USA), Why I Give, Documentary Short (Student)
Ḻäwurrpa Maypilama and Pat Josse (Australia), Djäkamirr:caretaker of pregnancy and birth, Documentary Feature, Native Peoples
Lisa Doolittle (Canada), Becoming Unlimited, Documentary Short
Lyndal Redman (Australia), You Are Not Alone – Web Series, Documentary Short, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Malcolm A. Velazco (Philippines), TCCON Philippines, Documentary Feature, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Mary Elizabeth Gentle, Alia Tarraf and Dr. Staci Emerson (USA), A Hidden Star, Original Song (Sorrow composed by Gareth Dunlop)
Ryan Stock and Betty Chung (USA), One Last Drop, Documentary Feature

 ~ Award of Merit ~

Alessandro Menale (Italy), ERICOVERO  A deep history of the Pigneto neighborhood, Documentary Feature
Beret E. Strong and Katrina Miller, This is [Not] Who We Are, Documentary Feature
Beto Sporkens, Imagica Audiovisual (Brazil), ÁTIMO (SPARK), History / Biographical, Editing
Cèlia Novis (USA), Once Upon a Place, Documentary Feature, History / Biographical
Celine Parreñas Shimizu (USA), 80 YEARS LATER, Documentary Feature
Filter Studios (Canada), Transmission, Documentary Feature, Viewer Impact: Motivational / Inspirational
Fly on the Wall Productions and Mount Sinai Health System (USA), From Darkness to Light: The Peter Krueger Clinic, Documentary Short
François Legrand, Marc-Antoine Boyer and Ludovic Bollette (Belgium), Tandem Local, Documentary Feature
Indy Saini (USA), Women in the Front Seat, Documentary Feature
Jeremiah Hayes (Canada), Dear Audrey, Documentary Feature
Josué Bertolino (Canada), Nelly : Since we are, Documentary Short, African American
Katharine Parsons (Canada), The Fire Cats, Documentary Feature
Matthew Everett (United Kingdom), Panthera Britannia, Documentary Feature
Monique Nolte (Netherlands), NIKKI, Documentary Feature
Paul Kim (USA), The Book of Joshua, Documentary Short
Philemon Makini Nyansera (USA), Untamed, Documentary Short
Tunc Topcuoglu (Netherlands), Fearless Indigenous, Documentary Short

Adilson Ruiz (Brazil), Classics in Brazilian Choro – The Movie, Documentary Feature
Alan J. Chriest (USA), Human Audit, Documentary Short
Alex Chodakowski (USA), Beyond Closed Doors, Documentary Feature, African American
Alex Eaves (USA), The Box Truck Film: Building A Reuseful Home, Documentary Feature, Viewer Impact: Motivational / Inspirational
Alfonso Burgos Risco (Spain), The loneliness of those who do not exist, Documentary Feature, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Allan Crawford (USA), Green Waste: An Environmental Opportunity, Documentary Short
Arun Bhattarai (Bhutan), Dreams of Birds Flying in the Sky, Documentary Feature, Disability Issues
Austin Reed Heywood and Lexi Kaili (USA), Dream Chasers: The Fit to Recover Story, Documentary Short
Bryan Reinhart (USA), Forever Wild (formerly The Valley), Documentary Feature
Carlos Evaristo Flores and Patricio J. Salinas (USA), The Southern Front, Documentary Short
Christopher Beeson (USA), Hog Haven, Documentary Feature
Crystal Lee Kwok (USA), Blurring the Color Line, Documentary Feature (Student)
David Marsh (USA), Adapting To Dive, Documentary Feature
David Rives (USA), God’s Living Treasures Volume 3 – Animals of Alaska, Documentary Feature
Deborah Attoinese, WOMEN AND FIRE, Documentary Feature
Denise O’Halloran and Pat McAbery (USA), The Ghosts They Carry, Documentary Short
Derreck Roemer and Neil Graham (Canada), Come Clean, Dramatic Impact
Diane Akam (Canada), It’s Just Parkinson’s, Documentary Feature

Chris Schueler (USA), Vaccination from the Misinformation Virus, Documentary Feature, Viewer Impact: Content / Message Delivery
Emily Branham (USA), Being BeBe: the BeBe Zahara Benet Documentary, Original Score
Frank Fazzio (USA), Common Thread, Documentary Short, Original Song (The World Needs Mercy composed by Ray Smith and Cari Minor, Strangebyrds)
Greig Coetzee and Jillian Edelstein (United Kingdom), The Water Rats, Documentary Feature, Creativity / Originality
Griffin Cork, Numera Films (Canada), OMA, Documentary Feature
Harry James Dwinell (USA), Good Intentions, Documentary Short (Student)
James Keach (USA), Skin On Fire, Documentary Short
Jamie Dodd (USA), K-pop: Forever, Documentary Short
Jean-Christophe Gonon (France), 10 ROUNDS, Sound Editing / Sound Mixing (Ghyslain Blandinières)
Jerome Adam and Olivier Le Bris (France), Every reason to be happy?, Documentary Feature
Joe McNeal (USA), Angels Do Fly West, Documentary Short
Joshua Alexander Wright (USA), Eden’s Last Chance: One Teenager’s Journey into the Environmental Movement, Documentary Feature
Kenneth Thomas (USA), It Came from Aquarius Records, Documentary Feature
Kevin Strickland (USA), Making Marks, Documentary Short
Kiara Lucinda Mezzina (Australia), Piece by Piece, Documentary Short
Lennart Neumann and Wilhelm Schulz (Germany), COFFEE FOR LIFE, Documentary Short
Lindsey Ward (USA), Dominion, Documentary Short, Religion / Ethics

Mariano Tonatiuh Rodriguez (USA), The Education of a Town: El Cabezon, Documentary Short
Markus Otz, emotive visual outlook carpentry (Switzerland), The Other Face of the Mountain, Documentary Short
Matthew Kalil (South Africa), Viva Dada, Documentary Feature
Mykhailo Bogdanov (USA), Avoesis, Documentary Short
Phyllis Rosenfield, Listening for a Change (USA), Embers of Awakening:  From Firestorms to Climate Healing, Documentary Feature, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Quentin Murphy, Althof GbR (Germany), Tell Me Your Stomy, Documentary Feature, Viewer Impact: Motivational / Inspirational
Raffaella Verga (Italy), The beautiful Youth, Documentary Feature
Ronald Voort (Netherlands), In the interest of the child, Documentary Feature, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Samantha Wheelis (USA), Pine Barren Beauty, Documentary Short (Student)
Samuel T. Scofy (Canada), Dancing In The Mountains, Documentary Short
Sara Alessandrini (USA), This is What New Yorkers Say, Documentary Feature, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Theresa Jessouroun (Brazil), OUR RIGHT TO DREAM, Documentary Feature
Tina Petrova and Eugene Weis (Canada), Pain Warriors, Documentary Feature
Tom Dyer and Amanda Dyer (USA), Unseen: How We’re Failing Parent Caregivers & Why It Matters, Documentary Feature, Viewer Impact: Content / Message Delivery
Victor Dean (USA), Survivors High – The Anthology, Documentary Short
Viktor Björnström and Kajsa Määttä (Sweden), Tracks, Documentary Short
Virginia Orzel, SUNY Brockport (USA), The Fight for Your Life, Health / Medicine / Science, Documentary Feature, Women Filmmakers

~ Award of Recognition ~

Allison Prete (USA), Women of Slender Means, Documentary Feature

Asha Molock (USA), Fuel For The Fire: HIV Stigma In The Black Community, Documentary Short
Ashley Kimmet (USA), The Jook’s On You, Documentary Feature
Aysia Lane and Crislyn Fayson (USA), #BlackAtSMU, Documentary Short (Student)
Azure Kwok (USA), The Outlanders – from HKG to SEA, Documentary Short (Student)
Bauddhayan Mukherji and Chandan Biswas (India), Charaiveti, Documentary Feature
Belén Barraguirre (South Africa), The Rhin and the Keras, Documentary Short
Bernard Peasley, Kimberly Summer, Shae Cartledge-Giovinazzo, Dexter Davison-Ling, Mahir Muhammed, Apsara Sabaratnam, Jack Verdins and Carly Fern (Australia), Home, Documentary Short
Brad Leitch, Patricia Makokis and Janice Makokis (Saddle Lake Cree Nation) (Canada), Awasisak Our Future, Documentary Short
Bushra Azzouz (USA), A Midsummer Night’s Dream In Prison, Documentary Feature
Charles and Mary Love (USA), Cataclysm! Climate Change in the 11th Hour, Documentary Short
Chenghua Xu (China), TO THE WORLD WITH YOU, Documentary Feature
Daoming Han (China), The Deepest Love, Documentary Feature
Dennis Rollins (USA), The Monumentals, Documentary Short
Dorian Nottebrock (Canada), It’s The Right Thing To Do: The Exclusive Story of Memorial Hospital’s Journey to 5 Star Designation, Special Purpose Productions

Fahim Hamid (USA), County, Documentary Short (Student)
Fernando Portabales (Argentina), Copacabana Papers, Documentary Feature
Gerelle Forbes (Trinidad and Tobago), The Journey and Impact of Pan on the Move – A 50th Anniversary Tribute to Dr.Ray Holman, Documentary Feature
James Chen (Taiwan), Mom’s war time stories, Asian
Jed Terrence Lee (USA), Greenway, Documentary Feature, Viewer Impact: Motivational / Inspirational
Jonathan Cipiti, Family Theater Productions (USA), HOUR OF OUR DEATH, Documentary Short
Judith R. Amesbury and Carlos Soto Barretto (Guam), Open Ocean Fishing in the Mariana Archipelago, Documentary Short, Women Filmmakers
Jusep Moreno (Spain), When Pigs Escape, Documentary Feature, Viewer Impact: Motivational / Inspirational
Justin Patten and Mykell Barlow (USA), A Farm Called Home, Documentary Short, African American
Kevin Strickland (USA), Cloud of Witnesses, Documentary Short
Kevin Veatch (USA), The Story of the Standard, Voiceover talent (Birke Duncan), Script / Writer (Birke Duncan, Garrett Vance, Norman W. Vance, Jr.)
Leslie Dotson (USA), Power of  Intimate Touch, Documentary Short, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Linda Parisi (USA), Essentials, Documentary Short
Lorenzo D’Amico Carvalho (Portugal), RUA DO PRIOR 41, Documentary Feature

Malka Shabtay (Israel), Nafkot – Yearning, Documentary Feature
Patrick Lawrence (USA), TIC-Teal In Control, Documentary Feature
Robbie Kruithoff (USA), Things We Shouldn’t Talk About, Documentary Short (Student), Religion / Ethics  (Student), LGBTQ+ (Student)
Roberta Pyzel (USA), SHOOTING STARS PART I-IV, Documentary Feature
Rodrigo Sena (Brazil), The Traditional Brazilian Family KATU, Documentary Short
Roy Davidson and Babs Davidson (Malta), TAMA (Hope), Documentary Short
Scot Stewart (USA), Chasing the Sky, Documentary Feature, Editing
Sebastian Rogers (USA), Love in a Time of Fear, Documentary Short
Shihyun Wang (Taiwan), War 2022 – according to Nostradamus, Narration / Voice-Over Talent (Ken Peters)
Silvie Dymáková (Czech Republic), Waxhead, Documentary Feature
Stephanie Nakashima and Scott Morris (Canada), In-Tents, Documentary Short (Student)
Steve Suderman (Canada), WORK, Documentary Feature
Tayo Giwa (USA), The Sun Rises in The East, Documentary Feature
Valérie Disle (USA), Nevus… I own it, Documentary Feature
Ville Ilmari Seppänen (Finland), Happy Independence Day, Documentary Short
Zeke Hanson (USA), The Missing and Murdered, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising