Celebrated business leader Deborah Meaden, best known for her role as an investor on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, and more recently her work to promote the importance of biodiversity alongside “net zero”, has joined the Grand Jury for the 5th edition of Big Syn International Film Festival. She joins a celebrated jury alongside other global leaders from sustainability, business, policy and media as well as OSCAR, BAFTA and EMMY award-winners.
The festival Grand Jury alumni includes well known names such as Amma Asante, MBE (Belle), Gurinder Chadha, OBE (Bend It Like Beckham), Kevin Willmott (Blackkklansman), Anna Smith (BBC, SKY), Jemima Khan, Baroness Prashar (House of Lords) and US Ambassador (Rtd) Howard Gutman, to name a few.
Deborah said, “I am excited to be on the Grand Jury of Big Syn International Film Festival – the world’s biggest sustainability film festival. Films have a powerful role in showing us the big-picture of sustainability and its significance for our own lives through relatable stories from across the world. This is how Big Syn Film Fest is spreading awareness about sustainability and the UN’s Global Goals to inspire positive action. I look forward to viewing and judging the entries and sharing my experience with everyone.”
All types of films including features, shorts, animations, documentaries and short videos are screened at the festival and cover a wide range of topics. These range from stories of change, hope, adaptability, resilience or resistance combating major global or local issues such as poverty, war, climate change, hunger, to discrimination, mental health, inclusion and diversity, inequality, disability or any other issues for that matter. Films from Big Syn Film Fest have been nominated and have won the OSCARS, EMMYS and BAFTAS, and the other way around.
The festival’s co-founder and Director, Dr. Ragini G Roy said, “Deborah’s support for the mission of the festival is testimony to her commitment to sustainability and helping the civic society evolve as a more sustainable one. As a Civil Society Organisation of the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, our motto is to further the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The film festival is one of many such initiatives. Since 2019, the festival has reached over 8M in 90 countries to educate people about the Sustainable Development Goals and inspire positive actions to address local as well as global issues, both big and small; all through the power of meaningful and relatable films.”
The festival has free-to-enter categories for UK’s marginalised filmmakers (women, LGBTQIA+, disabled and ethnic minorities) and for filmmakers from Ukraine. Uniquely, the festival accepts films from filmmakers as well as members of public; from children 13 and older, to businesses, schools, hospitals, charities, Universities and anyone who wants to share stories of positive change and hope. A special prize called Piccadilly Lights Spotlight Prize will shine the spotlight on important voices as part of the festival by screening selected films on Europe’s biggest screen, London’s iconic Piccadilly lights.
Stressing on the importance of initiatives such as the film festival, Deborah said, “Now is the time when society at large must act with urgency, to the best of its abilities to become more sustainable. With just 7 more years until 2030, we need all hands on deck to address climate change and all related local or global issues to secure a safe and sustainable future. Hence, the collective importance of all initiatives to inspire society at large to #actnow is of paramount importance.”
Big Syn International Film Festival is organised by Big Syn Institute. The 2023 edition of the festival is currently accepting entries via www.bigsyn.org until 30th September 2023. Festival screenings will be held in October; in London and online.
