VIDEO--Filmanthropy Debuts at Sundance

Has documentary film become an investment option for wealthy donors who want greater social bang for their buck?

Here's PhilanthroMedia's five-minute videocast, "Filmanthropy Debuts at Sundance", that presents what I learned when I went to the Sundance Film Festival in January to explore the topic. (Sorry for the delay but I had to syndicate to community foundation websites first!) It includes interviews with investors who supported films in the competition, and even the actor, Kevin Bacon. It also includes a brief interview with Ted Leonsis who coined the term "filmanthropy."

Leonsis was at the Festival where Nanking, the film he bankrolled, was premiered to much acclaim. It recollects a “forgotten Holocaust,” two words he said should never be used in the same sentence. I'll be seeing it at the Tribeca Film Festival next week.

The term continues to gain exposure. It started with the Washington Post and continues this month with a new article in Worth. I also covered it for OnPhilanthropy. I was interviewed on the topic by a reporter for Contribute Magazine who asked me if I thought it was poised to have an impact on philanthropy. Unfortunately, there is no marketplace that enables donors to identify films in production that are poised for impact. I've been shopping around an idea on that front and would be interested in learning if others have ideas for advancing filmanthropy. If media coverage is any indication, this is an idea that clearly resonates.

Susan Herr