Samundra and Kunjo win first “Justice” Award at Angelus Film Festival

Terrie-Samundra

Full Circle Exchange is proud to announce that Terrie Samundra and her film Kunjo, is the inaugural winner of the “Wake Up to Justice Award” at the Angelus Student Film Festival.  “The award honors the film that best illuminates global social justice issues through the art of storytelling and cinematic excellence,” said co-founder Mark Priddy. “Kunjo is beautifully made and its message is very timely,” states Priddy.

“It is such an honor to be receiving this award! I love the vision of it and everything it stands for,” said the writer/director. “Thank you so much for loving the film and seeing the truth of Kunjo.”

Kunjo

Kunjo, a 12-year-old Rajasthani refugee spends her days begging in the streets of a rural Punjab village in North India. When an unlikely friendship blossoms between Kunjo and Preeta, an educated schoolgirl from a higher caste, Kunjo reveals her secret passion for storytelling. Betrayed by her new friend, and caught in the complexity of an unconventional friendship, Kunjo faces a crossroads between standing up for herself or submitting to her place of silence in society. For more on Kunjo visit kunjothefilm.com/home.

Full Circle supports After the Storm screening in New Orleans

Full Circle Exchange is proud to bring to New Orleans the premiere of the award-winning documentary film, After the Storm. In celebration of the rebirth of the North Rampart Community Center (formerly St. Marks) After-School Program, the AFTER THE STORM FOUNDATION will be screening the film at the Center on September 10th and 11th.

There will be two showings, 2PM and 7PM. Tickets will cost $10 and North Rampart will be using this as an opportunity to raise funds for the Center and its programs.

“After the Storm is an award-winning, feature-length documentary film that follows a group of New York Broadway actors who were inspired to help the youth of New Orleans,” says Full Circle Co-Founder Mark Priddy. They stage a musical theater production of the Broadway play “Once on this Island” with local teenagers at the St. Marks Community Center located at the edge of the French Quarter. The film follows the crew and the kids from auditions through performances and also includes the story of each young actor’s life in the wake of Katrina. The story of the musical reflects very much so the life in New Orleans post Katrina.

View Trailer

“It is so amazing that The North Rampart Community Center (formerly St. mark’s Community Center) is still up and running and serving the kids in the surrounding neighborhoods,” said film producer and subject James Lecesne.  “The center has just finished up their FOURTH Summer Camp, since the AFTER THE STORM FOUNDATION was there in 2007 to help  re-open the Center. Much of the praise goes to Joanne Finley and Coach Parker who have been heroes working with the kids and also to the  wonderful Board of Directors of NRCC who have worked so valiantly to keep the doors open”, said Lecesne.

“Tell your friends and see the film in the place where it all began,” said Lecesne. If you can’t join us for the screening, you can order the DVD at www.priddybrothers.com with $5.00 of your purchase going to the After the Storm Foundation.

Full Circle Exchange is a socially conscious brand with a mission—to “Promote Justice and Cultivate Good”™ locally and globally through the distribution and sale of Fair Trade and Organic coffee, tea and chocolate.  As a partner of The After the Storm Foundation, Full Circle Exchange will donate proceeds from FCE coffee sales to help assist relief organizations currently serving the youth of New Orleans.

Full Circle to Sponsor “Wake Up To Justice” Award at the Angelus Student Film Festival.

Full Circle Exchange (FCE) is proud to sponsor the inaugural “Wake Up To Justice” award, which will be presented to the film that best illuminates global social justice issues through the art of storytelling and cinematic excellence.   The award will be presented during the Angelus Student Film Festival on September 18th 2010, at the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood.

“This is an award that is that is very important to me and sits at the center of who we are as a company,” said FCE co-founder, Mark Priddy.  Priddy was inspired by last year’s Angelus winner “Kavi,” a 19-minute fictional film about a young boy who wants to escape from the brick kiln where he is forced to work as a modern-day slave. “Kavi” was the first fictional film of its kind to expose the reality of ‘bonded labor,’ a form of modern slavery, said Priddy. Full Circle Exchange donates proceeds from the sale of their fair trade, organic coffee, tea and chocolate to fight global justice issues like human trafficking and bonded labor.

Priddy Brothers has been a long time sponsor  of Angelus and  screened KAVI at their annually-sponsored “Windrider  Forum”, which takes place during the  Sundance Film Festival.  “I was just so struck by the beauty of the film and the passion of filmmaker Greg Helvey.  Helvey’s vision to utilize film and the power of story to make a difference for justice issues, is amazing” said Priddy.

“When hear Greg Helvey’s goal was to reach at least 50,000 people with “Kavi” in the first year, and that his objective was to motivate people to action through awareness, I was truly  inspired. Consequently, I approached Angelus about sponsoring a  ’justice-based award’ this year.”

Among its numerous awards, “Kavi” was nominated for an Academy Award last year. “We can only hope that this year’s “Wake Up To Justice” Award winner has as much success and impact,” said Priddy.

For more information on The “Wake Up To Justice” Award, Presented by Full Circle Exchange, go to http://www.angelus.org/