A documentary project is gathering stories of kindness from all over the world
Produced by award winning filmmaker Eva Ilona Brzeski, Kindness the Movie is an experimental film project that aims to provide a unique glimpse into random acts of kindness on an international scale. Individuals are encouraged to send in short video entries, creating an overall montage of kindness.
“I wanted to hear stories that have touched lives, changed ideas, overcome prejudices and bridged divisions between people,” explains Eva. “And I thought, if I want to hear those stories, maybe others do as well. I believe that we are thirsty for better news, and not necessarily the picture painted by the mainstream media.”
Eva is working closely with a small group of other dedicated filmmakers, including Renny McCauley and Sarah Fisher, who has previously worked for MTV News and the US Information Agency.
The film will address questions about how kind or unkind the world is, documenting different people’s experiences of kindness, including unusual acts of care and generosity that people have observed or heard about. As an incentive, a $10,000 cash prize is being offered for the best video entry received.
While Eva has welcomed a diverse range of videos from around the world, she still hopes for more. “I’ve heard people say ‘Oh, I want to submit a video, but the bar is so high’,” she says, “This isn’t the case. The video doesn’t need to be high-tech; in fact we don’t want it to be fancy. No music, no editing, no special effects. Just someone talking and telling the truth.”
Eva believes that placing greater attention on kindness will affect our perception of the world. “This film has the potential to make us feel so much more connected to others,” she says. “If we can envision a kinder world, that might just inspire us to engage in acts of kindness ourselves.”
Kindness the Movie may still be in the early stages of production, but Eva has lofty ambitions for the final outcome of the film. “We hope it will eventually be in theatres everywhere, as well as television, film festivals and even classrooms to try and raise awareness of kindness at an early age. It sounds farfetched but we are trying to start a revolution.”
Eva’s revolution has already inspired people to post blog entries documenting everyday acts of kindness, while general support from the global community has been an encouraging sign for the future of the project. Currently, the team are continuing to promote the film and draw the involvement of as many people as possible.
“Share your own ideas with our community and spearhead some kindness-related activities in your own town,” Eva advises. “Help us make kindness go viral.”