Penn's Field Center Hosts Documentary Film Festival on Child Abuse, Part of National Child-Welfare Conference

PHILADELPHIA - The winners have been announced in the University of Pennsylvania's Field Center for Children's Policy, Practice & Research's documentary film contest, a part of National Child Abuse Prevention month.  A panel of expert judges, including producers from CNN, the Greater Philadelphia Film Office and award-winning documentary filmmakers, judged the high school and college submissions.

           As part of the Field Center's national conference, "One Child, Many Hands: A Multi-Disciplinary Conference on Child Welfare," the winners will have special screenings of their films at an award ceremony to be held in the Zellerbach Theater at Penn's Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on May 30 at 7 p.m.

           "Abuse," a film submitted by Oxford Area High School in Chester County, Pa., won the Best Documentary--High School category.  The student filmmakers are Adrianne Fischer, Michael Aurite and Shanta Hughes. Their teacher is Bob Vincent.

           "Crystal Clear: Breaking the Cycle of Incest," a film submitted by Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa., earned the title of Best Documentary--College category.  The student filmmakers are Jordan Mitchell, Eric Sulock, David Marcheskie and Carly Haines.

          "Life in the System," a film submitted by Independent Living, a part of the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program, earned an honorable mention in the competition.  The student filmmaker is Jared Wiley and the program's staff overseer is Joel Miranda.

Special guest host for the Documentary Film Festival and Awards Ceremony will be Amy Berg, the award-winning maker of "Deliver Us From Evil," a portrayal of the 30-year history of a Catholic priest's sexual abuse of children in his own words, which was nominated for a 2006 Academy Award for Best Documentary.

A reception with Berg and the student filmmakers will follow the film screenings.