Event Co-host and Judge:
Mike Paseornek
President of Production
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group
The 2nd Annual UnLonely Film Festival
Further Illuminates Loneliness and Isolation, a Public Health Epidemic
The UnLonely Film Festival, the first online film festival dedicated to short films about loneliness and isolation, a public health epidemic, is now accepting short film submissions for its Spring 2018 launch.
Our first festival (named The Creatively Connected Online Film Festival) premiered last May — and is available online now at creativelyconnected.org. It features 37 short films by diverse filmmakers addressing the loneliness and isolation that so many of us experience, whether we are older adults, have major illness, are military families, struggle with issues of gender identity, or immigration status or just find navigating our social selves a day-to- day challenge.
This year’s festival will once again showcase the power of short films to engage and activate us, a critical requirement to fighting loneliness, while giving filmmakers the opportunity to have their work seen by a wide and attentive audience.
And Mike Paseornek, President of Film Production at Lionsgate Films, will return as guest juror to help select winning films
Accepted filmmakers are eligible to receive monetary prizes, an invitation to attend the launch event in New York City and may also have the opportunity to participate in a host of other screenings, conferences or events addressing loneliness and isolation.
For this year’s festival, we encourage filmmakers to send us short works of 20 minutes or less that explore the experience of loneliness among:
•Older adults reflective of the long road traveled and what’s to come
•Individuals with major illness, along with their caregivers
•Veterans, active duty military and their loved ones struggling to maintain balance
•Individuals and families struggling with addiction
•Adolescents and young adults exploring identity in a sometimes alienating digital world
•Race and Sexual Orientation Minorities working to establish and legitimize identity
•Immigrants and refugees finding their way in a new place
Those experiencing “everyday loneliness” at work, at school and at home.
Important Facts About Loneliness:
Loneliness has become one of today’s major public health issues—and it’s getting worse:
•Over 30% of individuals are affected by loneliness RIGHT NOW!
•Loneliness contributes to an early mortality rate equal to that of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
The good news?
Compelling evidence indicates engagement with creative arts expression can greatly help, connecting those affected to themselves and others and promoting a shared sense of belonging.
A portfolio of awards will be bestowed, recognizing the important artistic work submitted and its potential to promote health and well-being for individuals and society.
There will also be distribution opportunities to facilitate expanded and focused viewing of the work.
