Global Excellence Awards 2020

Page 46 www.lux-review.com LUX 2020 Global Excellence Awards Everyday Heroes (EDH) movement is an interactive community for sharing short films, pictures, links, and written stories to show case short stories about ordinary people who display real feats of heroism. For EDH, heroism manifests in ordinary acts of kindness, caring, and love. EDH inspires, uplifts and instills hope in people everywhere by sharing Hero stories in this Impact Documentary Series, awakening in each of us our own ‘Inner Hero’. Barbara Borenstein inherited a passion for storytelling at a young age. She started this initiative in 2015. Sadly, Barbara lost her personal Hero, her father, who instilled in her a love of filmmaking that would become a career. Barbara has begun a worldwide conversation about what being a Hero means. EDH is on a mission to shift the paradigm of a Hero from someone untouchable to something that exists in all of us – we just need to discover and unleash that Hero within ourselves. The Hero stories featured in EDH’s documentaries demonstrate that we can overcome life’s adversities to live meaningful purpose-driven lives. EDH’s platform aims to empower people to find their inner strength and confidence to solve their problems, and by doing so they find new motivation to contribute to solving larger social problems. This is the redeeming social and economic value of investing with the EDH initiative. Our Heroes are nominated from all across the world by people from many walks of life. Classrooms of children are learning to Everyday Heroes is a global online movement that celebrates heroism in everyone. Led by Producer and Director Barbara Borenstein, Everyday Heroes is a community that shares stories of Heroes and their transformations through documentaries that inspire, uplift, and instil hope in it’s viewers around the world. Barbara tells us about why her initiative to celebrate Heroes is more important today than ever. Everyday Heroes Best Impact Documentary Series 2020: Everyday Heroes recognize and nominate their Everyday Heroes. We receive stories from people who witness unsung Heroes transforming their world. EDH’s team works with millennials to spread inspiring messages through EDH’s website and social media platforms. We spark serious discussions to resolve various life challenges. EDH leads the conversation, whether it be about bullying, suicide, or domestic violence. We work with strategic partners to link film and activism to create change. The goal is to overcome these adversities to live happier more fulfilled lives. Broadcaster funding is becoming quite limited in Canada. The power of film for facilitating social change is clear, now more than ever, in a time of anxiety and isolation due to the pandemic. Impact Production has emerged as a new space to leverage marketing and distribution. Mobilizing message with mission empowers unheard voices. EDH hopes to be an antidote to fear that pervades the world, giving voice to acts of human courage all around us, even when diminished by demoralizing news stories. EDH shows us that together, we can take on life’s greatest challenges and win. EDH’s most recent project, ‘Everyday Hero Kids’, was created with C-Teens, a global outreach network to help teens make a difference with at risk kids, finding meaning in their lives. Inspired by Barbara’s own tragedy, this initiative began. “I lost my only brother David to suicide,” says Barbara. “It broke my heart. I want to prevent others from experiencing this kind of heartache.” EDH Kids will oversee young people in creating short films about helping others for the Raindance Independent Film Festival in 2021. They will share the message with their peers that “You are not alone,” empowering kids to rise above bullying, depression and suicide. The kids’ films will be Oscar eligible. “I am confident that Stevie Wonder will endorse this project, for the simple reason that my Father, Morris, launched Stevie’s career”. Stevie Wonder understands the value of having someone believe in you, giving you a chance, because we never know when it’s our turn to shine... EDH’s success comes from a shared passion of Barbara and her team to stay at the cutting- edge of developments in the film industry, and use them to support disenfranchised communities around the world. Even during the pandemic, the team continues to collaborate, learning together at online film festivals and workshops taking small steps that will lead to global expansion for EDH’s community. Ultimately, EDH is creating a space for creativity inspired by heroic actions taken by ordinary everyday people. EDH’s movement is growing globally, giving us all the power to awaken our Inner Hero. We are seeking Philanthropic collaborators to align with us in spreading the message that everyone can be a Hero, uplifting others and instilling hope for a better and brighter future. We invite you to join our growing movement as our Corporate/Educational Partners to work strategically with teens. Everyday Heroes..Could Be YOU Company: Everyday Heroes Contact: Barbara Borenstein Email: [email protected] Website: www.everydayheroes.life Barbara Borenstein, Producer and Director EverydayHeroes.Life Banner Photo of my father Morris with Little Stevie Wonder, Kitchener ON, 1964