Ignite Lasting Change with Community Film Events

Social impact - it takes a village. Working at the intersection of storytelling and community engagement worldwide, we continue to witness the transformative power of local film events to inspire awareness and collaboration around the local issues that matter.

Every year, community screenings hosted by SIMA Ambassadors and Partners (local advocates and organizations) that bring communities together around social issues and mobilize support for local causes bring to life the SIMA Traveling Series. During 2023 we facilitated 30+ film screenings around the world. After kicking off in Cambodia and Costa Rica, our year-round community screening program continued in Kenya, Argentina, and Colombia.

Hosted by META House Cambodia, a cultural center supported by the Goethe Institute, 16 SIMA features and short documentaries were screened as part of the one week global impact film festival in Phnom Penh. The local community was exposed to authentic stories about topics ranging from women rights, judicial system, climate change, migrant stories, and education to police brutality and democracy from around the globe.

The United Nations University of Peace in Costa Rica facilitated the SIMA Movies Dialogues. The screening series features an impactful line-up of short films to celebrate International Women’s Day, Earth Month and International Wildlife Day. Experts facilitated post screenings conversations on the different issues highlighted in the films.

Four SIMA films about migration, refugee and freedom of expression were showcased at The International Human Rights Film Festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina, hosted by IMD - a non-profit association designed to strengthen the treatment and study of themes about Human Rights in Latin America.

The local community of Nairobi enjoyed seven SIMA award-winning feature and short films with topics ranging from women rights, judicial system, access to health, migrant stories, and education to economic development and democracy. The series of community screenings were hosted by the community based organization, Association of Single Mothers of Kenya, that integrates disadvantaged youth into society through education courses and life training.

H.E.K (Hisotrias en Kilometros), a non-profit organization committed to amplify the voices of local communities in Colombia through community cinema, selected Sanson and Me (2023 SIMA Awards Ethos Jury Prize winner) to be part of the highly curated  line-up for the first edition of the International Community Film Festival in the country.

Overall, more than 1400 individuals have joined these in-person events. 

Thank you so much for enabling us to continue transforming witnesses into agents of change through our Traveling Series!

With warmth and gratitude from all of us at SIMA.