March 24, 2008
Knight Center For International Media And Independent Television Service International Announce Partnership
Project Inspires Creativity to Illustrate Global Water Crisis
Coral Gables, FL (March 24, 2008) – The University of Miami School of Communication’s Knight Center for International Media announced on World Water Day, March 22, their partnership with Independent Television Service International (ITVS), to support water crisis-related film projects in five countries. Funded by the Knight Foundation, this collaboration will support public broadcasts of film projects in India, Indonesia, South Africa, Bahrain and Colombia.
Sanjeev Chatterjee, Executive Director of the Knight Center for International Media and Writer, Co-Director and Producer of One Water, a global film about earth’s changing relationship to water, said “this partnership fosters the creation of films that will address this global issue in different parts of the world. We hope that our film, One Water, will cause a ripple effect throughout the environmental film community by bringing attention to the topic and motivate change.”
One Water, which had its world premiere on March 9, 2008 at the Miami International Film Festival, is an immersive experience, that shows the precarious state of the world’s fresh water supply and its affect on people, which is becoming more aggravated by population growth and climate change and compromises the future of all life on the planet. The feature film, created by the University of Miami, also raises the essential question about clean, safe water being a basic human right.
As part of this partnership, filmmakers will develop a 30-minute film about a water issue facing their country. The filmmakers will present details of their film at the Input 2008 Leadership Summit in Johannesburg in May. The summit is aimed at coordinating the efforts of filmmakers with awareness raising activities related to water that are being planned with the help of non-governmental organizations and international agencies in each of the countries. Upon completion, the films will be broadcast nationally on public television in the respective countries.
This collaboration will also pave the way for “1H2O,” an initiative supported by the Knight Foundation and the Knight Center for International Media at the University of Miami School of Communication, that will help build a platform for journalists concerning this issue. You can learn more about this collaboration and other partners at http://1H2O.org. Content partners for the site include the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting (http://pulitzercenter.org/) and helium.com (http://helium.com).
“1H2O is an exciting opportunity for ITVS to expand our work with independent media makers and broadcasters globally. This partnership really highlights the important role of independent voices in calling attention to and creating a dialogue around some of the most pressing issues of our time,” said Judy Tam, senior vice president, ITVS.
For more information about One Water, the film, visit: http://onewaterthemovie.org.
About ITVS: The Independent Television Service (ITVS) brings to local, national and international audiences high-quality, content-rich programs created by a diverse body of independent producers. ITVS programs take creative risks, explore complex issues, and express points of view seldom seen on commercial or public television. ITVS programming reflects voices and visions of underrepresented communities and addresses the needs of underserved audiences. ITVS is the largest content provider of independent documentaries for public television. Learn more about ITVS.
About the University of Miami Knight Center for International Media: The mission of the Center is to integrate scholastic and creative energies to serve and transform the global journalism and communication profession. The Center is engaged with media projects that are aimed at having impact across national borders.
About The Knight Foundation: The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes excellence in journalism worldwide and invests in the vitality of 26 U.S. communities where the Knight Brothers owned newspapers.
About the University of Miami School of Communication: The University of Miami School of Communication seeks to prepare analytical and responsible communication professionals for success in a global society. The School offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in journalism, broadcasting, advertising, public relations, visual journalism, communication studies and motion pictures, with a total current enrollment of approximately 1500 students and 60 full-time faculty members.
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Media Contact:
Melissa Rubi Falcón
305.284.6748
mrubi@miami.edu
