The three films are from directors Ilinca Calugareanu (Chuck Norris vs Communism), Violeta Ayala (Stolen) and Isaac Solotaroff (Kings of the Underground); filmmakers received funding from the Sundance Institute | John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Short Documentary Fund, dedicated to supporting innovative and independent nonfiction storytelling.
The films demonstrate the Guardian’s continuing commitment to producing quality documentary content and will be released on theguardian.com throughout April, says the Guardian.
The series is led by Charlie Phillips, the Guardian’s head of documentaries; funding and development were open to alumni of Sundance Institute, Firelight Media, Tribeca Film Institute, ITVS/Independent Lens, and POV.
Charlie Phillips, head of documentaries, Guardian News & Media said: "Following the relaunch of Guardian documentaries, we're excited to collaborate with Sundance Institute and the MacArthur Foundation on these brand new short films. Covering subjects as varied as cutting-edge android robotics to young track and field athletes in Jamaica, we hope our audience enjoy this selection of thought-provoking and original stories."
Tabitha Jackson, Director of Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program said: “The Guardian’s recognition and amplification of this superb work is a reminder that all over the world, independent nonfiction storytellers are doing important and creative work with the primary aim of sharing it with audiences. Supporting this act of communication has rarely felt so timely.”
Directed by Ilinca Calugareanu, and produced by Mara Adina, Erica: Man Made is the first short film to be released as part of the slate and follows the story of Erica, one of the most advanced androids in the world. The mini-series will also include The Fight, from director Violeta Ayala and producers Dan Fallshaw and Fernando Barbosa which follows disability rights activists in Bolivia and The Sprinters Factory, from director Isaac Solotaroff and producer Natasha Dack, which focuses on the top young female athletes training in Jamaica and how one of the world's most popular sports has dramatically impacted the lives of the country’s young people.
