This weekend, we held our world premiere of “In Harmony” in the very New Orleans neighborhood that gave it voice and vision.  It was amazing!   Over 150 supporters, many of which starred in the film, came to watch it on the big screen at Ashe Cultural Arts Center and Zeitgeist Multimedia Arts Center.

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In true New Orleans style, we started with an incredible food, mostly provided by our friends at J’Anitas BBQ.  I am a big fan of the movie, of course, but this pulled pork, brisket, and bourbon bbq sauce was nearly the best thing about the evening!

After the screening, we held an awards ceremony for the filmmakers.  Eleven participants were awarded certificates of recognition for achievement in community documentary filmmaking and their own digital video cameras.

Both evenings culminated in a fiery discussion about how we can move forward on the issues that neighbors care about, including housing, schools, and economic empowerment.

It was an incredible weekend!  We look forward to sharing the film with all of you through online viewing, DVDs, and screenings in more locations during the next months.

World premiere screenings, followed by dinner reception and filmmaker discussion session.

• Friday, August 22, 7:pm at Ashe Cultural Center, New Orleans
• Saturday, August 23, 5:pm (previously scheduled 3:pm screening has been changed) at Zeitgeist Multimedia Arts Center, New Orleans

What would New Orleans look like if it were home to the nation’s top urban public school system?

Executive Producer Matt Wisdom and Digital Filmmaker Tim Ryan hope to help convey that vision in a new short Internet documentary about recent successes within New Orleans public charter schools. In addition to an insiders look into what makes public Charter schools successful, the short film addresses the impact current public school reform will have on the future of New Orleans.

Aug 15 Deadline: Apply for the Sundance Institute’s $1.2 million Doc Funding Initiative

The Sundance Institute announces the opening of a Request for Proposals for Stories of Change: Social Entrepreneurship in Focus Through Documentary. If you are creating a documentary film that frames, examines and amplifies social entrepreneurship as an innovative approach to the central questions of our time, read on to see how you can apply.

July 17-20: Netroots Nation Conference; Austin, TX

From electing candidates to fact-checking the traditional media, people-powered politics is become increasingly influential thanks largly to growing online communities. Find out how you can attend the Netroots Nation Conference this month to exchange ideas with like-minded individuals and learn how to become more effective in using technology to engage in the public debate.

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Office of Behavioral
and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) intend to foster and support
collaborative research on health disparities/inequalities in the United
Kingdom and/or in the United States. They have issued a joint call for
research grant proposals to support teams of UK and USA investigators. The
purposes of these guidelines to applicants are (a) to specify how
applications should be prepared and submitted, (b) to describe the
evaluation of applications, and (c) to describe how subsequent awards may be
made and administered.

Applicants should conform to the substantive content and procedural
instructions provided in PAR-07-379, Behavioral and Social Science Research
on Understanding and Reducing Health Disparities

Research Focus

The research proposed should be responsive to the substantive areas
stipulated in NIH PAR-07-379. This document provides background information
about the ESRC-NIH Research Collaboration. It is not re-printed in the
previously published PAR-07-379.

Application Instructions

Contact Information

USA-based investigators should address questions to:

Ronald P. Abeles
Special Assistant to the Director
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
Office of the Director
National Institutes of Health
Bldg. 31C, Rm. B1C19, MSC 2027
Bethesda, MD 20892-2027
United States of America

Phone: +1.301.496.7959
Fax:     +1.301.435.8779
Email:   abeles@nih.gov

UK-based investigators should address inquiries to:

Joy Todd
Research Directorate
Economic and Social Research Council
Polaris House
North Star Avenue
Swindon SN2 1UJ
United Kingdom

Phone: +44-(0)1793-413109
Fax:     +44-(0)1793-413001
Email:   Joy.Todd@esrc.ac.uk