We are honoured to announce that The Civet Project Foundation has won a prestigious Award of Merit for a Documentary Short from The Impact DOCS Awards Competition. The award was given for Jack Wootton's exciting grassroots production, which uncovers the true cost of the world famous civet coffee. Civet Coffee: From Rare to Reckless was noted for its visceral unmasking of an industry that for many people would be no more than a curiosity but which has, in reality, complex and far reaching implications for animal welfare, conservation, and human health. Of particular note, judges commended the film for it's potential to inspire sincere social change.
Director, Jack Wootton explained:
“It is a true pleasure to receive an Impact DOCS Award of Merit for Documentary Short. Our documentary film was created on less than 1% of a standard documentary budget and it's with great pride that the quality of our film has been recognised alongside leading filmmakers.
Civet Coffee: From Rare to Reckless tells the story of something as seemingly harmless as a cup of coffee and challenges our perception of taking something at surface value. In a world where it is increasingly hard to tell truth from lie, civet coffee hides in plain sight, and our film exposes it"
Impact DOCS recognises film, television, videography and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Documentaries were received from 30 countries, including veteran award winning filmmakers and fresh new talent. Entries were judged by highly qualified and award winning professionals in the film and television industry.
In winning an Impact DOCS award, The Civet Project joins the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award including the Oscar winning director Louie Psihoyos for his 2016 Best of Show – Racing Extinction, Oscar winner Yael Melamede for (Dis)Honesty – The Truth About Lies, and Emmy Award winner Gerald Rafshoon for Endless Corridors narrated by Oscar winner Jeremy Irons, and many more.
Rick Prickett, who chairs Impact DOCS, had this to say about the latest winners:
"The judges and I were simply blown away by the variety and immensely important documentaries we screened. Impact DOCS is not an easy award to win. Entries are received from around the world from powerhouse companies to remarkable new talent. Impact DOCS helps set the standard for craft and creativity as well as power catalysts for global change. The goal of Impact DOCS is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve for their dedication and work.”
Civet Coffee: From Rare to Reckless has already resulted in real-world change, with five leading tourism operators now agreeing to remove the sale of civet coffee tours from their platforms following the release of the film and the research efforts of The Civet Project.
The Civet Project's efforts to curb the cruel civet coffee industry is not, however, ending there- in a bold move for permanent change, The Civet Project Foundation is calling on the UK Government to include civet coffee tours in the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 which would prohibit the sale and advertisement of civet coffee attractions to UK holiday makers.
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