The Focus Forward indie filmmaker competition,"Short Films, Big Ideas," is a series of 30 three-minute nonfiction films, inspired by GE’s vision of innovative people being the catalyst for world change.
GE and partner Cinelan announced the five winners today at a special awards ceremony during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. New York City filmmakers Jared P. Scott and Kelly Nyks won second place for their short film, “The Artificial Leaf". Their cash prize was $50,000 dollars (the first place winner was awarded $100,000 dollars).
The combined winnings totaled $200,000, which is the largest cash prizes ever given for short documentary films. Twenty films were chosen as finalists in the Competition from more than 600 submissions from 69 countries.
Last year, New Yorkers Scott and Nyks wrote and produced a thought provoking and educational full length social political film, "Split: A Deeper Divide," which has been gaining momentum and garnering praise from throughout the United States and Europe. The documentary will now be used as an educational tool internationally, which is remarkable and no small feat.
Next up for Scott and Nyks is their documentary film titled, "Requiem for the American Dream." Its focus is the financialization of America and the historically unprecedented consolidation of power and wealth and what may be the death of the middle class in our country.
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