Film Production

Global Dialogues produces social change media designed to help create a healthier, more peaceful world characterized by empathy, compassion and unity in diversity.

Our films, based on narratives submitted by creative youths in international contests, are crafted by leading filmmakers and emerging young talents. Up until early 2012, our films all focused on HIV/AIDS and related topics and were produced exclusively in Africa. Now, Global Dialogues film production is worldwide, and our thematic emphasis has expanded to include other priority issues facing our planet’s young people.

The films are highly valued by broadcasters, NGOs & CBOs involved in social mobilisation and global activism, schools and businesses. Their popularity on the Web is skyrocketing.

Global Dialogues film production teams always bear in mind the following guiding principles:

• The films are not to be didactic, message-delivery tools, but rather triggers for reflection and dialogue. They demonstrate our faith in local communities to identify, explore and resolve their own priority issues, in their own way.
• Vulnerable people must always be portrayed in a positive light and with dignity. The films must help individuals and communities to address and overcome relevant inequities and prejudice. However, the films must not cause a harmful backlash.
• Just as a lot of good can be done with a well-crafted film on a taboo subject, serious damage can be caused if one doesn’t take all necessary precautions before a film is shot and released. It is for these reasons that the Global Dialogues team places special emphasis on exhaustively testing and evaluating draft film scripts.
• Intercreativity: Global Dialogues film production is uniquely multidisciplinary, featuring constant exchange between youth, civil society organisations and filmmakers.

Global Dialogues films are distributed in a multitude of languages, and they are subtitled to make them accessible to the deaf and more useful to language learners and teachers.