PWRDF is proud to support International Development Week, Feb. 5-11, with our Second Annual Home Movie and International Film Festival! Here at Church House we’ll be screening some of our home movies from our YouTube channel, but you can play along at home and watch too! Here are the home movies we’ve got cued up:

PWRDF Fred Says Video “Availability” tells the story of how PWRDF partner Madre Tierra is working with Guatemalan return communities to make food more available. (3:36)

National Youth Project Home Movie “Water” describes the centrality of water in our lives and invites viewers to support projects bringing water to Indigenous communities in Canada. (2:07)

PWRDF Home Movie “Maternal, Newborn and Child Health 101” features Development Partnership Program Director, Zaida Bastos, as she introduces viewers to the concepts and programs behind the term “MNCH.” (10:00)

Anglican Video “Maternal Care” describes how maternal, newborn and child health care have been fundamental to the development of great women and men who have changed our world. (3:42)

PWRDF Home Movie “Thank you” offers a word of heartfelt appreciation to all those who support PWRDF in a variety of ways. (2:00)

More films to see

Why not join in the fun and “host” your own film festival? Check out our list of feature-length films (one big-budget Hollywood flick plus four independent documentaries). Click on the image to view the trailer. All films are available on either Netflix or to download from their official websites.

The Martian (2015) – This space exploration film looks at the theme of food security as Matt Damon, playing astronaut Mark Watney stranded on Mars, tries to grow food on a planet where no food can be grown. Not only does it deal with practical matters of sustainability, but also provides a template for all development work: try, fail, try again, succeed. For a focussed look at how Watney solves his problems, check out our series of suggested excerpts with narration guide.

Fresh (2009) – This documentary celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people who are re-inventing our food system, including urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.

The True Cost (2015) – Have you ever wondered where your clothes come from? This documentary examines the links between consumer pressure for low-cost clothing with high-fashion looks, and the meager existences of the sweatshop workers who produce them.

The Beginning of Life (2016) – PWRDF invests in maternal and newborn health, and here’s a great example why. In this documentary, scientists, advocates and parents around the world look at how carefully tending to kids’ earliest needs can shape the course of human society.

Living on One Dollar (2013) – Four American friends travel to rural Guatemala, where they attempt to exist on a dollar a day for two months to experience life in extreme poverty. Ideal for youth.

What’s your favourite development-themed film? Tweet us or tell us on Facebook so others can watch too!