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Kenji and the DOXA Documentary Film Festival

Hi Everyone! Kenji here. You likely know that I’m an avid supporter and have a passion for community development, youth programming, filmmaking, and for sure watching compelling films of all kinds.

How do I feel about documentaries?

I believe that documentaries are an important genre of filmmaking. To me, there’s something powerful about watching a documentary unfold a story or aspect of a given subject. We all view films in a different way, but for me a great documentary can often provide context to a subject we might not usually talk about or simply well known subject seen from a different angle. It gets my mind going.

Why do I support the DOXA Documentary Film Festival?

Great documentaries can be hard to find but DOXA has continually been able to bring together a variety of awesome films from around the world to Vancouver. I also think it’s important that young people be involved and have access to opportunities where they are able to explore their community and the world — which I feel can help further develop a better sense of self. Documentary films have the potential to do that. DOXA also has two specific programs which I’m a fan of and those are the Connexions Youth Forum and Rated Y for Youth.

Connexions Youth Forum

Basically, Connexions gives a group of young adults the opportunity to be mentored by seasoned filmmakers and then allows those participants to create their own short documentaries to be screened at the festival.

In 2007, DOXA offered the program to a group of youth from the Lower Mainland who identified as street-involved and who faced economic and social barriers that prohibited access to the Vancouver film community. In 2008 DOXA presented the program to a group of First Nations youth from communities outside the Lower Mainland.

And now in 2009, the emphasis is on “gender equality and will focus on encouraging women to take leading roles as filmmakers.”

Rated Y for Youth (RYY)

The Rated Y for Youth part of DOXA is about bringing in documentaries suitable for youth aged 12-18.

The goal of RYY is to promote intelligent dialogue and critical media literacy to a new generation, through non-fiction, media arts. DOXA has created a program specifically designed for high school students to have an opportunity to attend the festival, view thought-provoking documentaries, enhance media literacy skills and learn to more critically analyze the world around them.

I would love for YOU to help support my effort to support DOXA! “But how?” you might ask. Great question!

There are many ways to help support the festival along with their youth programming. I’m on their Board of Directors so of course if you have any questions about DOXA, you can ask me at kenji@productionheads.com.

Here are the ways you can help:
(DOXA Documentary Film Festival is presented by The Documentary Media Society, a registered charity.)

DOXA Donor Form (pdf)

Credit Card or Cheque (one-time or monthly donations)
With your donation, you can choose to receive:
- a Tax Receipt for the full amount, or
- DOXA benefits (see on document) plus a Tax Receipt of donation amount minus commercial value of any benefits offered.