(August 30, 2007) George Soros’ Open Society Institute - dedicated (among other things) to cultivating stronger civil society in central Europe, Asia and Africa, has announced an innovative program to make Central Asian films accessible to viewers in both the east and west.

The Institute’s Arts and Culture Program has curated a DVD collection of Central Asian cinema featuring 10 films from two eras - five made during Soviet times, and five made since independence—that are emblematic of each Central Asian Republic. Each film is subtitled in both Russian and English.

Soros’ film-related philanthropy hasn’t been limited only to developing economies; he also created the Soros Film Fund managed by the Sundance Institute to assist western independent film makers in producing pictures focused on current issues and movements in contemporary human rights, freedom of expression, social justice, and civil liberties. The Institute believes that a focus on film making stimulates more open societies, bolstering efforts to develop more effective democracy.
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/arts/about

- Chris Carmody / Carmody & Company
www.christophercarmody.com