by Marla Lewin

Filmmaker exchange and cultural diplomacy program marks fourth year

The American Film Institute—in conjunction with the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities  and other federal programs have renewed their commitment to support this international cultural exchange program that seeks to engage audiences here and abroad through filmmakers and their films. 

This  year's AFI PROJECT 20/20:  2010 participants (in alphabetical order)are:

BEETLE QUEEN CONQUERS TOYKO, directed by Jessica Oreck (US)

FIRST OF ALL, FELICIA, co-directed by Melissa de Raaf and Razvan Radulescu (Romania)

GUY AND MADELINE ON A PARK BENCH, directed by Damien Chazelle  (US)

ICONS AMONG US, co-directed by Lars Larson, Michael Rivoira and Peter Vogt (US)

LONDON RIVER, directed by Rachid Bouchareb (France)

ROOM AND A HALF, directed by Andry Khrzhanovsky (Russia)

SITA SINGS THE BLUES, directed by Nina Paley (US)

Joining these 10 filmmakers are two artists from the 2009 program – Kief Davidson (KASSIM THE DREAM) and Richie Mehta (AMAL)—for a total of 9 films and 12 filmmakers for 2010.

Over the program’s first three years, 35 filmmakers representing 17 countries have participated and visited 16 countries and 12 U.S. cities. They have taught master classes at universities; screened their films at festivals, museums and cinemas; and interacted with audiences about their films. 

This year, filmmakers will travel to St. Louis; Washington D.C.; Seattle and three other U.S. cities, as well as China, Russia, Peru, Great Britain, Tunisia, Morocco and Switzerland. AFI PROJECT: 20/20 has also been invited to create a unique program for the ambassadors to UNESCO in Paris.

“Wherever AFI PROJECT: 20/20 has traveled to date audiences and filmmakers have enthusiastically embraced a new way of seeing each other’s world,” says PCAH Executive Director, Rachel Goslins. “From the clash of tradition and modernity in Mali to the lives of American truckers, 20/20 films have told stories about places and cultures that are both wonderfully unique, and powerfully universal.”

Participation in AFI PROJECT: 20/20 is by invitation based on an artist’s filmmaking excellence and their potential for positively interrelating with film professionals, filmmaking peers, and cultural officials and audiences. 

AFI PROJECT: 20/20 is led by the American Film Institute and supported by the following federal agencies:

The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) bridges the interests of federal agencies and the private sector, supports special projects that increase participation, and helps incorporate the humanities and the arts into White House objectives. Mrs. Michelle Obama is the honorary chairman of PCAH.

The National Endowment for the Arts is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education.

The National Endowment for the Humanities serves and strengthens our republic by promoting excellence in the humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all Americans. The NEH is the nation’s leading supporter of research education, preservation and public programs in the humanities.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent federal grant-making agency dedicated to creating strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The IMLS works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development.