Designed to showcase today’s Free Speech Movement (and empower youth with its history) American INSIGHT invites filmmakers to join the global revolution by submitting films about Free Speech, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law to the FREE SPEECH FILM FESTIVALTM.
About
As they express themselves, or give a voice to the oppressed, American INSIGHT encourages filmmakers to consider what Free Speech, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law mean to them.
One FREE SPEECH AWARD-winning film is selected each year and showcased in perpetuity on www.AmericanINSIGHT.org. In addition, the winning filmmaker is interviewed on camera, and their film is featured on the FREE SPEECH NEWSFEED, the FREE SPEECH BLOG, and all of American INSIGHT’s social media outlets throughout the year.
Five other films from around the globe that are submitted to the FREE SPEECH FILM FESTIVALTM through FilmFreeway (the world’s premier film festival site) are chosen as “Official Selections,” and their trailers are also featured on American INSIGHT’s websites and social media outlets for a period of one year.
The Free Speech Film Festival is unique in several respects:
- American INSIGHT awards a cash prize of $1,000 to the Free Speech Award-winning filmmaker.
- The FREE SPEECH FILM FESTIVAL culminates in an onsite and online multimedia Free Speech Award Ceremony that showcases “Official Selection” trailers, the final Free Speech Award-winning film, and an in-depth interview with the Free Speech Award-winning filmmaker.
- The Moderator of our annual Free Speech Award Ceremony is former NBC News London Bureau Chief and CNN New York Bureau Chief, Karen Curry.
- American INSIGHT’s 2022 FREE SPEECH FILM FESTIVAL Award-Winner, as well as all of the “Official Selection” filmmakers, are interviewed for the Free Speech Spotlight Blog, and their films are featured on our festival’s website in perpetuity: www.FreeSpeechFilmFestival.org
- Each year, our Free Speech Award-winning films and their filmmakers are promoted over American INSIGHT’s daily Newsfeed, and across all of our social media outlets.
- American INSIGHT broadcasts its Free Speech Award Ceremony to audiences online, and that footage is placed in our Free Speech Archives that date back to 1983. It is also featured on its own festival highlights page like this most recent one: https://freespeechfilmfestival.org/2021-festival-highlights/
- The FREE SPEECH FILM FESTIVAL focuses exclusively on deepening the understanding of Free Speech, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law with the goal of inspiring dialogue about these topics and promoting their principles worldwide.
- Every year, the Free Speech Award-winning film is linked in perpetuity to American INSIGHT’s interactive educational Free Speech Storyline, which traces the history of individuals who fought for their rights back to the signing of the Magna Carta in England in 1215.
The FREE SPEECH AWARD Ceremony provides an opportunity for filmmakers to supplement their film with their own personal story. Filmmakers share what Free Speech means to them with the global community.
The winning film is linked in perpetuity to American INSIGHT’s interactive educational FREE SPEECH STORYLINE, which traces the history of individuals who fought for their rights back to the signing of the Magna Carta in England in 1215.
The winner of American INSIGHT’s 2012 FREE SPEECH AWARD was “Free China: The Courage to Believe” directed by Michael Perlman and produced by Kean Wong. This was the film’s first award. The film has since won eight other festivals, and been screened by governments around the world, raising consciousness for human rights in China.
Catch up on the FREE SPEECH NEWSFEED, FREE SPEECH BLOG, FREE SPEECH STORYLINE, FREE SPEECH ARCHIVES and discover more FREE SPEECH AWARD-winning films today!
LEARN MORE: www.americaninsight.org
The FREE SPEECH FILM FESTIVALTM culminates in a multimedia FREE SPEECH AWARD CEREMONY that features well-known artists, scholars, writers, and civic leaders speaking about what Free Speech means to them, in addition to showcasing American INSIGHT’s final FREE SPEECH AWARD-winning film and its filmmakers. Past speakers include:
Bob Craig, Jazz Host, WRTI, Philadelphia, introduced “Smooth Jazz,” while hosting a Sunday morning show on WMGK in Boston
Karen Curry, Former NBC News London Bureau Chief and CNN New York Bureau Chief
Gregory Harvey, Esq, Senior Counsel, Montgomery McCracken, Philadelphia, awarded the Judge Learned Hand Human Relations Award of the American Jewish Committee
Abby Huntsman, American television personality and co-host of The Cycle on MSNBC; political commentator for ABC News in Washington, D.C., and Good Morning America in New York City
Mary Anne Huntsman, a classical pianist who has performed throughout Europe, the United States, and Asia
David Kilgour, human rights defender, author, former lawyer and Canadian politician, remains continuously vocal on many human rights violations around the world
Richard Negrin, Deputy Mayor of Administration and Coordination and Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia
Joseph Ohayon, Producer/ Director of “Crossroads: Labor Pains of a New Worldview, “ is a filmmaker, writer and speaker based in Israel and New York
Michael Perlman, Producer/ Executive Producer of “Free China: The Courage to Believe,” is an Amnesty International official Artist For Amnesty
Reggie Shuford, Executive Director, ACLU Philadelphia
Anne-Marie Slaughter, President and CEO of New America; University Professor Emerita of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University
Tanya Steinberg, President & CEO, International House Philadelphia; Treasurer, International Houses WorldWide
C.K. Williams, American poet, critic and translator who has won nearly every major poetry award
Kean Wong, Producer/ Executive Producer “Free China: The Courage to Believe,” human rights activist, TV host, founder of Parigon Partners, a strategy and marketing consulting firm
Samuel Zhou, Deputy Director, Global Internet Freedom Consortium
Discover more at: https://www.americaninsight.org/archives/
