Please join the DFA for an introduction by Euna Lee, Head of Program Acquisitions and Commissioning at Voice Of America to VoA’s new documentary series 52 Documentary strand. 52 Documentary, a new weekly documentary series by Voice of America, is looking to collaborate with documentary filmmakers around the world. The series focuses on short, observational, character-driven documentaries spanning topics including women’s rights, gender equality, displacement, human rights, press freedom, environmental sustainability and democratic ideals, among others.
The 10-15 minute human interest stories connect viewers to their global community through an intimate look into the diverse realities, challenges and aspirations of people as they navigate current issues and events from their corners of the world. The series is available on the streaming app VOA+ on Apple and Android mobile devices and smart TVs and is accessible on YouTube.
Voice of America is currently trying to expand their network of filmmakers who would like to pitch films to us from anywhere in Africa but especially from South Africa. The observational shorts are usually finished within a period of 3-4 weeks and include 2-4 shoot days and 10-14 edit days. Budgets usually are $6,000 – $8,000 per project. Voice of America want the films to go out in film festivals and do really well and would like to include accomplished filmmakers as well as filmmakers in the early stages of their careers.
A seasoned journalist with more than years of experience, Euna Lee is Head of Program Acquisitions and Commissioning at Voice Of America (VOA). Prior to VOA, she worked for Fusion media, AJ+ and Al Jazeera TV networks. Lee’s name became widely known after she was captured by the North Korean regime while covering a human trafficking story for Current TV, a cable network co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore. She wrote a memoir, The World is Bigger Now, about her experience while detained in North Korea for 140 days. Lee has received various awards for her fearless work, including McGill Medal by University of Georgia and Glamour magazine’s Women of the Year Award in 2009. At VOA, she strives to be a voice for the voiceless and a window for those with no access to outside information. Born and raised in South Korea, Lee holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.