Dear Friends,

We invite you to share your hero stories with the world thorough your, art, music, short films or written words. Prizes are awarded for outstanding work by students — from elementary school through college — and for amateurs and professionals.

Please note the Sylvia Earle Ocean Award for the MY HERO International Film Festival has a special deadline of May 1st, to allow the finalists and winners to be announced on June 8th - World Oceans Day. All other film festival submissions have a final deadline of September 1st.

The 20th Annual MY HERO International Film Festival will be held November 15-16, at the Moss Theater at New Roads School in Santa Monica.

Browse this newsletter to learn more about our various media contests. Short films must be submitted via FilmFreeway. The submission fee is waived for all students. Sponsorship opportunities are available. We welcome your participation and support for this global celebration.

Please share our resources with teachers and media makers that you know.

Sincerely,

The MY HERO Team

The Sylvia Earle Ocean Conservation Award is presented by IMAX filmmakers' MacGillivray-Freeman's One World One Ocean campaign, to filmmakers whose short films depict heroes protecting the world's oceans. View previous winners.

Submit your film to The 20th Annual MY HERO International Film Festival. Prizes are awarded to student and professional filmmakers in a variety of categories — documentary, narrative, music video, animation, experimental, and more.

Esteemed educator and author Esther Wojcicki sponsors the annual 'WOJ' Youth Reporter Award, which comes with $2,000 in cash prizes. The award celebrates student reporters, whose short films showcase heroes making a positive difference in their communities and the world.

The Eva Haller Women Transforming Media Award. sponsored by Holocaust survivor, philanthropist and mentor Eva Haller, recognizes outstanding filmmakers, whose short films feature woman changing the world.

Ron Kovic is an artist, author and advocate for peace since he was paralized in combat during in Vietnam war. The Ron Kovic Peace Prize goes to films with a theme of peace.

Kathy Eldon and her daughter Amy Eldon, of Creative Visions Foundation, present the Dan Eldon Activist Award to the filmmaker who best uses media to effect positive change in the world. 

The Sing for Hope Music Video Award goes to a film that harnesses the power of the music to inspire. Winners are selected by Sing for Hope founders Monica Yunus and Camille Zamora and Guitars in the Classroom founder Jessica Baron.

The annual Relationships First Award, sponsored by the Foundation for the Contemporary Family, honors filmmakers, whose works depict, in innovative ways, the powerful and poignant connections in any type of contemporary family relationship.

The Immersive Storytelling Award is for innovative Virtual Reality content featuring stories that promote creativity, engagement, activism & social good. 

The Mattie Stepanek Poetic Film prize honors filmmakers who share poetic messages of hope and peace through their short films. The award is selected by Mattie's mother Jeni Stepanek, Ph.D, (aka Mamma Peace)

Check out MY HERO's free Media Arts Resources to help students create their own inspiring films. View Previous Winning Films in our online screening room.

The Mattie J.T. Stepanek Poetry Award is named for the late poet and peace activist who encouraged everyone to sing the songs in their hearts. It's open to poets, artists, filmmakers and spoken word artists.

APRIL

Jazz Appreciation Month

Poetry Appreciation Month

April 7 - World Health Day

April 22 - Earth Day

April 26-28 - Global Youth Service Day 

Artists, submit your vision of heroism for the Robert Shetterly Portrait Prize. Robert Shetterly, founder of Americans Who Tell the Truth, is an accomplished portrait artist who shines a light on heroes working for social justice and the environment.

MAY

May 1 - Submission deadline - Sylvia Earle Ocean Conservation Award

May 3 - World Press Freedom Day

May 15 - Deadline for Robert Shetterly Portrait Contest

May 22 - International Day for Biological Diversity

May 29 - International Day of UN Peacekeepers  

JUNE

LGBTQ Pride Month

June 1 - Submission deadline - Mattie J.T. Stepanek Poetry Award

June 5 - World Environment Day

June 8 - World Ocean Day

June 20 - World Refugee Day

June 23 - Public Service Day

Admission is free. Email myhero@myheroproject.org for an invitation.

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