Film \ media projects and engagement initiatives that Cynthia has initiated and directed include:

Famished

‘ …traditional levers of change, including philanthropy and government aid, are insufficient to address the critical issues of our time’

Seemingly intractable problems include climate change and the existence of two billion small holder farmers who consistently comprise the majority of the earth’s very poorest. Farmers who cannot feed themselves – when they have the opportunity to help feed the world as global food scarcities loom. ‘A global revolution at the intersection of money and meaning’ offers an innovative means to solution. That revolution is ‘impact investing’. In keeping with the mission to create compelling personal narratives as portals into significant historic changes, ilume’s famished explores the initially esoteric subject of impact investing by telling the story of a self-assured entrepreneur whose life is forever altered when a reluctantly-taken trip to East Africa ignites his quest to solve a persistent problem threatening billions of people by employing impact investing practices. As in ‘journey’ stories from the ancients to Joseph Campbell to Pixar, he encounters vivid characters and powerful opposing forces, suffers a tragic death that plunges him into a dark cave of doubt about the worth of his effort and, a changed man, battles forward to fulfill his destiny with far-reaching consequences for others. (in development)

dance cuba

Winner of film festival awards and earning critical praise. ‘A breathtakingly beautiful film by any standard … history in all its irony emerges with devastating force .. heartbreaking and hopeful … and unforgettable vision ’. Produced during a period of deep US-Cuban estrangement, dance cuba explores the volatile history of US-Cuban relations through the lens of dance and the personal lives of dancers. Audiences across the political spectrum fiercely debated issues including normalization of relations in intense post-screening discussions and engagement campaigns. A 10-year, multimillion dollar project involving some 400 people, the extensive dance cuba archive has gained in historic value and is now part of the NYPL for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center where it will serve as the foundation for innovative public programing and scholarly study for decades to come.

DC Citypiece

A short film which explores the issue of gun violence among the young and under-privileged in Washington DC neighborhoods outside the ‘Federal city’ of national politicians and tourists. Those directly impacted by the violence participated in the creation of the piece and subsequent community discussions about prevention.