‘Break the Cage’ is an animated film illustrating the plight of brown bear cubs in Armenia whose mothers are shot dead by poachers and their cubs captured to be sold into captivity. The audience is urged to sign a petition calling for higher fines for poachers.
The Charity Film Awards celebrates the effective use of film by the third sector to change mindsets and raise awareness of good causes and the work they do. The awards are organised by Smiley Movement CIC, the nonprofit organisation for social and environmental good that is sponsored by the original Smiley™ brand, and aims to drive positive change in the world.
More than 300 charities took part in the 5th Charity Film Awards and there were almost 40,000 votes in the first round of public voting. The Charity Film Awards has a panel of expert Judges – which includes high profile names from entertainment, business, media, academia and social enterprises – who will be selecting the Winners from each category.
The Winners of the 2022 Awards will be announced at a gala ceremony in central London in March 2022.
Nicolas Loufrani, CEO of Smiley Movement, said: “Nothing captures hearts and minds like film. These amazing films from wonderful causes absolutely demonstrate the importance of film for charitable campaigning.
“It’s vital we support all causes – big or small. Huge congratulations to all the Finalists, who should be delighted with the public support for their films through the campaign. We’re incredibly proud that Smiley Movement’s investment in the Charity Film Awards has already generated 500,000 additional views on these films.”
Alan Knight, IAR CEO, said: “We’re honoured to be among the Finalists for the Charity Film Awards. There can be no more effective way to tell a story and convey a message than through the use of film. In our case, we have combined real footage and animation to depict the bear cub’s life in the wild before he is caught and locked up in a cage. It’s extremely cruel and we hope our film will help to end it.”
International Animal Rescue has been Shortlisted alongside other leading names from the charity sector. For more information, please visit www.smileymovement.org/awards