A Case for Impact Film

When the 1975 film Jaws found its way onto the silver screen, it left an immediate mark. Fear had struck the American public, who did not want to deal with malevolent man-eating animals in the waters they used for surfing and leisure. There's even a term for it: ‘Jaws effect’ – an irrational fear of sharks, shared by many, even today. It’s not the only aftereffect of the Spielberg classic. Sadly, shark hunting increased massively in the years following the film’s release, causing the shark population to drop rapidly by an estimated 50 percent. In response, marine biologists directed their efforts towards the study of the great white shark, hoping to counter the perception created by the film. Jaws is one of many examples of how film can have a tangible impact on the way we think about our day-to-day life, and how it can shape our interactions with the people, structures and concepts that surround us. 

One has to wonder what would have happened if the makers of Jaws had considered its impact in advance. In the world of impact film, that's precisely what they do: from the pre-production stages and with an eye towards measuring outcomes.  

Film can be a vessel for real-life change, and with it, impact. The 2006 film Blood Diamond, for instance, helped mainstream the term for diamonds that are mined in dehumanising circumstances, triggering a critical inquiry into the entire industry. Dark Waters, a film about PFAS pollution, helped influence at least 14 pieces of legislation in the US, including important measures to clean up, mitigate, study and ban the so-called ‘forever chemicals’. In Europe, the EU announced a total phase out and ban of PFAS, while over 100 multinational companies pledged to go PFAS-free as a result of a corporate pledge circulated as a part of the movie's impact campaign. Talk about real life impact.

In Venice 

Those present at our Impact Leaders retreat in Venice will have noted the enthusiastic presence of filmmakers and producers throughout the event, sharing stories of how their work has impacted the world around them. Our host, The Human Safety Net, integrated the second edition of their cross-over event Lights! Camera! Impact! into our Impact Leaders conference to draw attention to the filmmaking space. Whether it be through using the figures of Sesame Street to help children in Syria, by making a documentary about the challenges faced by philanthropic organisations or by showing the story of Samia, a Sudanese girl aspiring to reach the Olympics, there was no shortage of examples of the interplay between the world of film and investing for impact.

Going beyond infusing impact events with cultural flair, Impact Europe was also a co-sponsor of the Collateral Impact Award at the Venice Film Festival. The award aims to mainstream the idea of films as a catalyser of positive change, while also offering support to the awarded film in maximising its impact. It’s a joint project with our member Think-Film Impact Production, the masterminds behind several groundbreaking impact campaigns for films, including the aforementioned Dark Waters. The second edition of the award went to The Quiet Son, a French film focusing on the issue of radicalisation.
 

Thinking long-form 

There is more brewing in our network when it comes to film. If the examples above are focused on maximising the impact of existing films that treat important social subjects, there's an additional approach worth exploring. Should we, as impact investors, funds, accelerators, corporations -- in short, impact people -- be making our own films to support our goals?

If it’s up to our member Makmende Media, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. For the last ten years, they have been building a network of storytellers that can be mobilised to help their clients tell their impact stories more effectively. While this can take a range of forms, from text to short-form video, their most recent event was effectively a call-to-action to consider long-form video and film as a more fit-for-purpose medium.

During their Impact Accelerator on October 20th, they premiered Food Soldiers, a documentary they made in collaboration with 2SCALE, an agrifood incubator active in Africa. Through the perspective of Benson, one of the the storytellers in the Makmende network, the viewer is shown how the food chain operates in Nigeria, which players influence it and how impact investments can help optimise it, resulting in new jobs, fair wages and affordable food prices. Crucially, the film highlights the role of creating partnerships and the importance of empowering smallholder farmers – the crux of impact investing in these types of projects. As such, Food Soldiers is an example of how branded or brand-supported content can go beyond mere publicity and become a tool for changing people’s perception.