*Los Angeles and Zanzibar, Tanzania — Actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur Denzel Whitaker (The Great Debaters, Black Panther) is coming on board as an honorary Ambassador for this year’s International Youth Media Summit (IYMS), the organization whose mission is to motivate young people around the world to use film and other media to inform, inspire, educate, and drive action on critical global issues.
With the role, Whitaker will serve as a celebrity spokesperson for the organization as it prepares for its 19th annual edition, which will take place for the first time on the African continent. The two-week intensive Summit will take place July 21-August 5, 2024 in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Whitaker’s mission is to help promote the organization’s mission and goals while raising visibility for this year’s Summit worldwide.
During the Summit, 61 selected delegates – young filmmakers and activists from around the world – will participate in collaborative film production and training guided by media educators and industry professionals. The delegates will work in one of seven film production teams, each focusing on a different urgent social issue: discrimination, environment, health, poverty, violence, women’s rights, and youth empowerment. By the end of the Summit, the seven teams will have created seven short films delivering powerful messages to raise awareness for these issues.
Born in Torrance, California, Denzel Whitaker is best known for his award-winning role in THE GREAT DEBATERS, performing opposite his two namesakes, Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker. Numerous film and television shows list Denzel’s name, including fan favorites: BLACK PANTHER, CUT THROAT CITY, THE PURGE TV series, WARRIOR, U SHOOT VIDEOS?, ALL THAT, and TRAINING DAY.
In 2011, Denzel simultaneously began developing his skillset behind the camera as a filmmaker. Since then, he’s garnered millions of views in the music video space, worked 5 years at Cartoon Network as an editor and illustrator on hit shows including BOONDOCKS and BLACK DYNAMITE, and is a published fashion photographer. His latest film ‘5150’ is a two-time Audience Award winner from both SeriesFest and the FilmGood Festival and a selection for Tribeca’s Creators Market. Co-written and directed by Denzel, starring Jovan Adepo, and executive produced by David Oyelowo, the film is currently being developed into a TV series. Whitaker is a dynamic, young filmmaker with a unique voice and a burning desire to tell stories about people of color that we haven’t seen before.
Evelyn Seubert, President of IYMS, stated: “At this historic moment for IYMS, we couldn’t ask for a better Ambassador than Denzel Whitaker. This year’s Summit is our most ambitious ever, as we work to build a Bridge to Africa. Denzel’s intelligence, artistry, and energy are inspiring our entire team – on both sides of the globe.
On August 4, one thousand people will fill the Old Fort amphitheater and witness our Coming Home Ceremony. This special IYMS event will celebrate the final year of the UN International Decade of People of African Descent. A video tribute will recognize the contributions of well-known people, past and present, who trace their roots to Africa. Our African delegates will read the names of the Heroes Among Us – others in the diaspora who are unknown outside of their community, but through their contributions make life better for everyone every day.”
Denzel stated: “I am incredibly excited and honored to be appointed as an ambassador for IYMS. It has always been a mission statement of mine to help give access and drop ‘gems of wisdom’ upon our future leaders of tomorrow. Art is important… art is powerful… It’s an absolute no-brainer for me to join IYMS in uplifting emerging voices while also shining a necessary light upon my brothers and sisters of the African diaspora. Let’s change the world!”
To bolster its footprint on the continent, the IYMS is partnering with the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) and the Zanzibar Arts Initiative Foundation (ZAIF). Together, they will produce three overlapping events: the Summit, the Film Festival, and the Zanzibar African Youth Arts Festival (ZAYAF).
Also, with the Ambassadorship, Whitaker’s latest short film Brand New will screen at the Zanzibar International Film Festival. Whitaker co-directed the new short along with Quincy Ledbetter.
About IYMS
The IYMS has previously been held in Nepal, Croatia, Australia, Sweden, Serbia and in the U.S. The organization’s goal is to increase the frequency of these Summits. The organizers are aiming to establish year-round production hubs for young filmmakers that replicate the Summit experience. Established global filmmakers and production companies would be connected to these hubs and serve as mentors, supporters, and pipelines to careers. In every case, people from different countries and diverse backgrounds work across borders and ethnic and cultural divides for the common good. In doing so, these young people have a stake in several communities – locally, nationally, and internationally – where they belong, where their talents are valued and developed, where their voices make a difference. Pakistan filmmaker Babar Ali is one of the best examples of a career the IYMS helped to nurture. For his first Summit in 2016, he made an award-winning short film (True Impact). He has stayed close with the organization over the years, and they have lent him support and mentorship throughout his filmmaking journey. IYMS co-produced his feature debut JOHN which premiered to rave reviews in Karachi and is now set up with an LA-based sales agent.
The international Youth Media Summit is represented by Alta Global Media.
source: Alta Global Media
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