Using Video To Inspire Social Movements

MAKE A FILM, CHANGE THE WORLD? That’s the mission of San Francisco-based Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC, pronounced “Bay-vac”), a nonprofit media arts center that trains filmmakers to use video storytelling for advocacy and social change.

The group recently received a MacArthur Foundation grant and Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, recognizing organizations that “deal with the hardest problems humanity faces.”

BAVC’s series “The Stream” asks how art and technology—including text messaging, Second Life, mobile games, data and interactive maps—can make an impact in communities around the world. Watch these films now on BAVC’s site:

“Always in Season“: Can a virtual world help us heal the legacy of racial violence in America?

“Bridge the Gulf“: Who are the real people restoring the Gulf Coast?

“Budrus“: How can we use technology to bring peace to the Middle East?

“Granito“: Can a film tip the scales of justice in Guatemala?

“Hela, Hello“: Can a game create community between Americans and Iraqis?

“Power Poetry“: What if kids used cell phones to write poetry?

“Revolutionary Optimists“: What if children led the public health campaigns in India?

“Finding Sacred Grounds“: Can augmented reality help protect endangered lands?

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