IN FOCUS
IMAX’s Young Filmmakers Program
IN FOCUS MEXICO 2019
IMAX is committed to cultivating young filmmakers by providing unique experiences while educating, developing and inspiring youth to pursue careers in filmmaking and the entertainment industry.
In June of 2017, IMAX released five thought-provoking documentaries made by the 2016 inaugural class of the In Focus program. The students explored issues ranging from poor air quality in D.C. and water pollution in the Everglades to the declining honeybee population and angst in some U.S. cities over dwindling sources of drinking water.
This year, IMAX has expanded the In Focus program to include film institutions outside of the United States. IMAX partnered with Futuro Verde, a non-profit organization focused on educating Spanish speakers in the US and Latin America about climate change through media, to identify and award grants to the leading film schools in Mexico. This year's participants for the 2018-19 school year encompass two leading Mexican filmmaking academic institutions:
- • El Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos de la UNAM
- • El Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica, A.C.
Each school created a ten-minute documentary and related social media content on topics related to:
- • Good Health and Well-Being, efforts to promote healthy lifestyles and overall well-being for all – regardless of age or domicile.
- • Sustainable Cities and Communities, the quest to make cities and other population centers inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
- • Climate Action, improve education and raise awareness across civic and institutional actors on the threats of climate change.
"Mexico has developed an extraordinary community of student filmmakers and we are honored to work with this talented group to help bring their inspiring visions of change to life,” said IMAX Chief Marketing Officer JL Pomeroy. "We're proud to expand the In Focus program internationally and fulfill IMAX's commitment to our environment and empowering the next generation of filmmakers."
“Isla de Galápagos Mexicana”
School: Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica
Synopsis: What can water springs in the middle of the desert teach us about the origin of life and sustainability? Cuatro Cienagas acts as a microcosm for our planet’s evolution and teaches us about the perilous consequences of not looking after the environment.
“Reverdecer”
School: El Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos de la UNAM
Synopsis: Sustainable lifestyles begin with sustainable agriculture. Behind this small food cooperative, we’ll journey through the lives impacted by our increasingly industrial food chain. We are what we eat, we must also eat sustainably to live sustainably.
“LACUS”
School: Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica
Synopsis: Mexico was built over reclaimed land where once stood a lake. After years of urban sprawl and development, the city is now being reclaimed by the lake. Our environment, both natural and artificial, has deep consequences in the cycles that govern our habitat. Mexico City serves as a case study in this documentary.