Q&A

Q – What is Reel Lives: The Cancer Chronicles?

Reel Lives: The Cancer Chronicles film festival is the first international documentary film competition on cancer. All films in the competition relate to the cancer experience.

The festival aims to raise awareness of the complex realities of cancer globally, to shatter taboos and myths surrounding the disease, and to challenge stigma.  Reel Lives pays tribute to those whose lives have been impacted by cancer, and provides them with the opportunity to tell their story to a global audience through the creative medium of film.

Q – When and where does it take place?

Reel Lives: The Cancer Chronicles film festival will take place from 28 to 30 August 2008 during the UICC World Cancer Congress in Geneva, Switzerland. The World Cancer Congress takes place from 27 to 31 August.

The opening night reception and screening is on Thursday, 28 August from 18:30. There will be screenings on Friday, 29 August, and Saturday, 30 August. The final evening of screenings will be that Saturday night, followed by an awards ceremony.

Q- Who produces Reel Lives?

Reel Lives is produced by the International Union against Cancer (UICC). UICC is the leading international non-governmental organization dedicated exclusively to the global control of cancer. Its vision is of a world where cancer is eliminated as a major life-threatening disease for future generations.

UICC's mission is to build and lead the global cancer control community engaged in: sharing and exchanging knowledge and competence; transferring scientific findings to clinical, patient and public settings; systematically reducing and eliminating disparities in prevention, early detection and treatment and delivering the best possible care to people living with cancer in every part of the world

 

Q – Why is UICC producing a film festival?

One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. Each year, seven million people die of cancer and 11 million new cases are diagnosed. Often cancer is wrongly regarded as a disease of the developed world. In fact approximately 60 percent of cancer occurs in developing countries and unless the increasing incidence rate of cancer can be slowed it is likely to double by 2020, with most of this increase occurring in developing countries 1

Whilst the situation is slowly improving, treatment, as well as information and education regarding prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment is still lacking, particularly in the developing world. This results in significantly poorer patient outcomes and widespread ignorance and fear.

Reel Lives: The Cancer Chronicles film festival gives the forum to people living with cancer, cancer advocates, researchers and cancer organizations. Through the creative medium of film, Reel Lives seeks to bridge cultural divides, unite the global cancer community, educate and inspire.

Q – Who is participating?

Professional, amateur and student film makers, cancer organizations, journalists, producers and TV broadcasters from around the world responded to the call for entries.  Films are documentaries or Public Service Announcements (PSAs)

 

Q – Why documentaries and PSAs?

Great filmmaking has always impacted viewers on their emotions and thoughts. Documentary filmmaking has built on this power and has been used to shed light on some of the world’s most pressing issues. People with cancer and cancer organizations have recognized this powerful medium and are beginning to harness its potential to educate, and to document their shared struggles and their triumphs. In so doing, they raise awareness of the disease and shatter taboos for audiences around the world.

Q – Has there been any interest?

There has been remarkable interest in Reel Lives: The Cancer Chronicles film festival, particularly as a first-year festival.  

The festival received more than 250 film submissions for the competition from 40 countries worldwide, including 2007 Oscar winner Freeheld and many other remarkable films.  Strong interest and support has also been expressed by cancer associations worldwide and the media. 

Q – How many winners will there be and what do they get?

Prizes will be awarded in four categories: Personal Story, Reportage, Educational/Organizational and Public Service Announcements. The Grand Prize is $10,000  

Q- What is the entry procedure? What does it cost?

Entry for the 2008 Reel Lives: The Cancer Chronicles film festival closed on 1 May 2008. Submissions were free of charge this year. Please consult www.reellives.org for more information on future festivals or related activities.

Q – How are the finalists and winners selected?

The finalists were selected by an international programming committee and they will be judged for the competition by a jury panel made up of a cancer survivor, a patient advocate, an oncologist, a communication expert and a health journalist.

Each film is rated on its cinematography, technical excellence, the story, and the message.

Q – What are the films like?

The films are diverse and range from personal narrative stories about the cancer experience, to educational and research-focused stories, to brief and motivational public service announcements about the impact of cancer or how to prevent it.

We are delighted with the quality and variety of entries that we have received for this inaugural festival. Each film relates to the experience of cancer but content and creative execution varies wildly. Many films challenge preconceptions about what it means to live with cancer. They tap into the full range of human emotions, even humor.

Q – How many countries are represented in the film entries?

More than 250 films were submitted to the festival from 40 countries. The finalists are from 16 countries worldwide.

Q – Will there be another festival? When and where?

We would love to organize another Reel Lives: the Cancer Chronicles film festival during the 2010 World Cancer Congress in Beijing, China, but it is too early to confirm this. Further details will be available at a later date.

Q – Who can attend the festival?

The festival is open to all attendees of the 2008 World Cancer Congress and to the general public. Entrance is free and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information on tickets, please go to the tickets section in the web site.

Q – How can I reserve tickets?

If you are a 2008 World Cancer Congress attendee, you can email reellives@uicc.org or go to the UICC stand at the exhibition area in Palexpo. You will be given the opportunity to register for festival events and screenings. If you are a member of the public, you can reserve tickets by emailing reellives@uicc.org

Q – When will the festival programme be available?

Please visit www.reellives.org for further information about the films and the programme.

Q – Who is sponsoring Reel Lives?

GSK Oncology is the lead sponsor of the festival.  Additional sponsors are PPD, Pharmanet, The Loterie Romande, Femina, Le Temps. 

Sponsors have no role in the selection of finalists and winners neither of the film festival nor on the programming committee and judging panel.

Q – Why did GSK choose to become involved?

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Oncology is proud to support this new and unique film festival. As the company continues to solidify its role in oncology, programmes like Reel Lives will remain instrumental in ensuring it stays closely engaged with patients and their advocates. 

Beyond the development and provision of cutting edge medicines to help improve the quality of patients’ lives, GSK supports Reel Lives as an initiative which benefits patients in non-traditional ways. 

 

Q – Are there still sponsorship opportunities available?

Yes. Sponsorship opportunities are diverse. You can still become a major sponsor of the festival, an event-based sponsor (e.g. sponsor individual screenings or hospitality events), or a donor of products or services. For more information regarding sponsorship, please contact Claudia Durgnat (T: +41 79 507 23 24 / E: reellives@uicc.org).

 

1 http://www.inctr.org/about/develop.shtml