Inspire Films is a Northwestern University student initiative that aims to produce social issue films that engage with topics affecting our local and international communities. Believing that film has the power to motivate thoughtful discussion and action, Inspire Films produces media and relevant programs that inspire thought, dialogue, critical discussion, and action in regards to various social issues. Inspire’s goal is to create an interdisciplinary approach to filmmaking, allowing students from across disciplines to work together in creating socially responsible and critical media.
Every year, Northwestern University and Inspire Films provides a three-day forum, the Symposium on Social Issue Media (SSIM), to critically examine the interconnectedness of Film and Television with shaping social policy and social issues. Based on the premise that film and television have the potential to cause social change by reaching broad and diverse audiences, the Symposium provides interdisciplinary engagement in understanding social issue media; examining issues of media ethics, representation, and responsibility; and building connections between students and experts interested in combining media with social change.
This blog was created in adjunct with Inspire Films’ Twitter to serve as a continuous live update of when and where everything is taking place during the Symposium.
This year’s Symposium on Social Issue Media will be held May 13-16 in Evanston, IL at Northwestern University. Come join us!
