Standout’ Film Shows The Power Of Ethical Shopping Dollar

‘Standout’ Film Shows The Power Of Ethical Shopping Dollar

Thought-provoking, engaging, clever and original – that is some of the praise for Shopping for Our Future, the Standout Winner of The Outlook for Someday film challenge in 2011.

The 5 minute film mixes archival and present-day footage to make a clear and compelling request that we make ethical shopping choices, which it compares to voting choices.
www.theoutlookforsomeday.net/films/2011/029/

For 22 year-old director Susan Wardell of Dunedin the story didn’t end with finishing the film. After sending her entry to the film challenge she decided to practice what she preached and opened her own ethical boutique store, The Cuckoo’s Nest, which stocks fairtrade, locally produced and vintage products.
www.cuckoosnestboutique.wordpress.com

"This is a film that provokes you to think about the power of your dollar and how it can make an ethical difference when shopping," said Nicole Hoey, Managing Director of Cinco Cine Film Productions and a member of the Judging Team for the film challenge.

“It is clever in how it uses the voting comparison to highlight choice and the archival footage to make the point and give urgency. It certainly stood out as a well directed, interesting and entertaining piece of work."

(See below for other comments about the film)

Shopping for Our Future is one of 20 Winning Films honoured at the end of the week at The Someday Awards red-carpet ceremony, which was held for the first time at the Aotea Centre in Auckland’s THE EDGE performing arts and entertainment hub.

The Winning Films have been made by individuals and teams ranging in age from 6 to 24 years old from Dunedin in the South to the Karikari Peninsula in the North.

The Judging Team of media, education, government and business people selected the 20 winners from a record 153 entries which over 600 young people had taken part in making.

They also chose 12 of the films to win Special Awards, which were announced at the ceremony last night.

(See below for Special Award Winners)

The 20 films can now be watched at The Outlook for Someday website, where there is a vote for The Body Shop Audience Favourite closing on 18 December.
www.theoutlookforsomeday.net

They will also be broadcast in 5 programmes called TVNZ 7 Presents The Outlook for Someday 2011, which will be screened at 6.30pm each night from Monday 12 to Friday 16 December by TVNZ 7 on both Freeview/TiVo (channel 7) and SKY/Telstra (channel 077). Each programme will then be repeated the following day at 12.30pm.

The Outlook for Someday challenge is to make a short sustainability-related film. It can be any genre, filmed with any camera and any length up to 5 minutes. Anyone up to age 24 can enter, either individually or in a team.

Entrants are encouraged to interpret ‘sustainability’ in the way that makes sense to them.

Earlier this year The Outlook for Someday was endorsed by UNESCO as a project of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.

DOWNLOADABLE HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES FOR MEDIA USE:

High resolution still images from the 20 Winning Films are here:
www.theoutlookforsomeday.net/gallery/2011/winning-films/

The graphic for The Outlook for Someday 2011 is here:
www.theoutlookforsomeday.net/gallery/2011/publicity-images

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

David Jacobs 0274 522 627 dj@connectedmedia.org

Angela Griffen 027 578 0889 angela.griffen@tbwawhybin.co.nz




SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS:

Adobe Film-making Achievement Award
For a film with outstanding creative / technical quality
Good Morning Sunshine by Anna Prestidge and Aisling Rayne from Burnside High School in Christchurch
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: The simple, everyday ways one person can look after their environment - and the wilderness that awaits the unwary.

UNESCO Sustainable Future Award
For a film which promotes dialogue on sustainability through a new perspective and/or critical thinking
Kua Rahuitia Te Reo by a team from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Rangiawhia (Primary) in Northland
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: A frightening future where a repressive regime bans the use of te reo Māori and chaos reigns.

TEAR Fund Social Justice Award
For a film which addresses social justice as a sustainability issue
If I Cannot Dance by Hilary Crombie and Charlotte Taylor from the University of Auckland
Genre: Documentary
Synopsis: Where provocative art once flourished, bland corporate messages have taken over. An exploration into the background behind some visual images of protest.

Department of Conservation Big Picture Award
For a film focusing on one or more of the Big Ideas and Values in DOC's national strategy to connect young people to the natural world
The Greedy Little Huhu Grub by a team from Renwick School (Primary) in Marlborough
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: A concerned tui watches as a destructively ravenous little huhu grub consumes all around him, but Tui has a plan to foil Huhu’s worst excesses. A tale of what greed causes.

Ministry of Youth Development Youth Participation Award
For a film with strong participation by young people among themselves and/or at a community level
Changing the Climate by Isabelle Russell and Laura Falkner of Albany Senior High School in Auckland
Genre: Documentary
Synopsis: Two roving reporters explore how young people can be instrumental in changing the political climate for themselves.

Te Puni Kōkiri Te Reo & Tikanga Māori Award
For a film making use of Te Reo and Tikanga Māori
Land-River-Sea by a team from Te Kura o Matihetihe (Primary) in the Hokianga in Northland
Genre: Documentary
Synopsis: A documentary about the meaning of Kaitiaki and our responsibility to future generations.

International Year of Forests 2011 Forests for People Award
For a film focusing on what forests provide
Renno by Christopher Williams from Gisborne and a graduate of the University of Waikato
Genre: Animation
Synopsis: Two fiercely competitive neighbours are forced to confront their environmentally unfriendly attitudes.

Auckland Council WasteWise Award
For a film focusing on waste minimisation
Shopping for Our Future by Susan and Andrew Wardell from the University of Otago
Genre: Public Service Announcement
Synopsis: How do our shopping decisions affect the world we live in? What choice do we have?

Auckland Council Film-maker Award
For a film by a film-maker or team from the Auckland region
Environmental Man by Nathan Thomas from Auckland and a graduate of AUT University
Genre: Music Video
Synopsis: Environmental Man raps about how to look after the environment while remaining true to your inner green gangsta.

Connected Media Sustainable Christchurch Award
For a film focusing on sustainability in Christchurch
Outlook for Sumner by Sophia and Lena Hesselgrave from the University of Canterbury and Victoria University of Wellington
Genre: Documentary
Synopsis: Following the Christchurch earthquake of February 2011 this documentary discovers that there is more to re-building than bricks and mortar.

Tearaway Secondary School Film-makers Award
For a film made by young people of secondary school age
Gone by Isaac Martin from Gisborne (Homeschooled)
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: In a barren future, a desperate man is driven to communicate with his past self, and finds that a garden-variety household item holds the key to salvation.

Upstart Primary / Intermediate School Film-makers Award
For a film made by young people of primary or intermediate school age
Five Ways to Help the Environment by a team from Kauri Park School (Primary) in Auckland
Genre: Animation
Synopsis: A colourful presentation showing some of the simple ways we can aid our environment – at times so vibrant you can almost smell it.


ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON SHOPPING FOR OUR FUTURE

Rod Oram, Business Journalist:

"This film creatively uses a delightful old newsreel style to convey contemporary issues in a compelling way. It goes right to the heart of consumerism, offering us attractive alternatives which are beneficial to the local economy, society and environment."

Stephen Knapp, CEO, Fairtrade Australia New Zealand:

“We’re thrilled for Susan Wardell and congratulate her on making the Standout Winner of The Outlook for Someday 2011 with her film ‘Shopping for Our Future’.

This quirky and engaging film carries an important message that power lies with us – the consumer! It really is great to see a talented young film-maker using the power of film to urge us to think about where our money goes at the shops.”

Ruud Kleinpaste, Bugman and Ambassador for The Outlook for Someday:

“This film is fabulous! It makes the clearest connection between quality of life and economics. Thank you Susan for making it so simple!”

Fraser Brown, Actor/ Producer and Ambassador for The Outlook for Someday:

“‘Shopping for Our Future’ is an intelligent, original and engaging film. The idea is simple and yet it gets right to the core of what ‘sustainability’ is all about in 2011, framing it in a way that every consumer can relate to. The central idea is clear and strong and the message is aided by a bold, confident style, which doesn't take itself too seriously.”


THE OUTLOOK FOR SOMEDAY:

The Outlook for Someday in 2011 is a partnership between Connected Media, TEAR Fund NZ, the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, The Enviroschools Foundation (Project Partners) and TVNZ 7 (Screen Partner).

Funding Partners are the ASB Community Trust, Auckland Council, Department of Conservation, Ministry of Youth Development, Te Puni Kōkiri, and Air New Zealand Environment Trust.

The Body Shop and Adobe are Corporate Partners.

Tearaway and Upstart are Media Partners.

Print and Paper Partners are Image Centre, Rockstock and B&F Papers.

THE EDGE and Austin’s are Event Partners.

Project Supporters are Levi’s® Stores, ecostore, Orcon, Sony, Madman, Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand, South Seas Film & Television School, Waxeye, Cinco Cine, Kingsize Studios, Entirely Sound, The Church, AS Colour, Karousel Screenprinting, Corporate Consumables, Phoenix Organics, Lothlorien Feijoa Juice, LEARNZ and the Inspiring Stories Trust.

The New Zealand Coordinating Committee for the International Year of Forests 2011 includes representatives of the Department of Conservation, Forest and Bird, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand Farm Forestry Association, New Zealand Forest Owners Association, New Zealand Institute of Forestry, New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, Scion and Wood Processors Association of New Zealand.

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