South Florida PBS, the state’s largest public media company, is launching its third year of working with emerging filmmakers. As part of its innovative film-maker initiative, SFPBS provides mentors and professional feedback to emerging film makers and showcases their work on its two television stations reaching more than 6.3 million viewers. South Florida PBS also has arranged for distribution of these film and video works to public television stations across the country bringing these productions to a national audience.
“In an industry that is slowly progressing towards showing signs of gender, ethnic and racial equality, film-maker has broken barriers and ceilings with women and minorities leading the way,” said Dolores Sukhdeo, president and CEO of South Florida PBS. “Two-thirds of our filmmakers have been women and people of color, including individuals of Hispanic, African American, Indian and Asian descent,” she added.
Eight of the 66 film-maker productions have been nominated for Emmy Awards, with “Six Degrees of Immigration” by Jayme Gershen and “Art Vessel” by Mateo Vengoechea winning the coveted trophy.
Giving local storytellers opportunities to elevate their craft and have their short and long-form independent films viewed by audiences nationally via NETA (National Education Television Association is a goal of film-maker. South Florida PBS also hosted the Firelight Media’s Groundwork Lab conference, a national organization mentoring young African American film makers.S
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