“THE CALLING” WINS DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AWARD AT IRIS GLOBAL HEALTH FESTIVAL
Film featuring journey of first year medical students premiered at DC DOX and can be seen next at the Orlando Film Festival and St. Louis International Film Festival
CHEVY CHASE, Md., October 25, 2024 - Oscar®-nominated and Emmy®-winning HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and leading producer and distributor Cineflix Media, along with Emmy®-winning producers American Issues Initiative and First Story Productions announced today that THE CALLING has won the Let The Light In Documentary Feature Award at the 2024 Iris Global Health Festival.
Celebrated for its intimate perspective on the journey of medical practitioners, THE CALLING premiered at DC DOX in June 2024. It is now screening at film festivals around the world, including:
- The 2024 CINE International Health & Wellness Film and Video Festival in Philadelphia, in September 2024
- The 2024 Orlando Film Festival on November 7, 2024
- The 2024 St. Louis International Film Festival on November 12, 2024
“Every student we filmed with impressed us with their dedication and brilliance,” says director Asako Gladsjo. “Maybe Einstein attracts a special breed of students; their decision to pursue their medical education in one of America’s most underserved communities proved that they weren’t afraid to face challenges.”
“We are so proud to bring the stories of these young people to new audiences,” says Jared Lipworth, Head of Tangled Bank Studios. “It’s important for both general audiences and aspiring young physicians to see what the medical school experience is actually like, especially at an institution so committed to serving historically underserved communities.”
THE CALLING tells the story of a diverse group of medical students at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx as they navigate the journey to becoming physicians in one of America's most underserved neighborhoods. Throughout a year, these students share the significant challenges they encounter, the struggles with self-doubt and fatigue, as well as the moments of inspiration that keep them motivated. Their initial interactions with patients reveal the flaws and disparities within the US healthcare system, prompting them to reflect on the reasons that originally drove them to pursue a career in medicine. The film is directed by Emmy® and Peabody winner Asako Gladsjo (The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross).
Read more about the film at https://www.tangledbankstudios.org/our-films/calling
Cineflix Productions co-produced the project as part of CINEFLIX MEDIA’S PARTNERSHIP with Tremayne and First Story Productions.
First Story Productions was founded by executive producer Charles Tremayne to create and produce documentaries and scripted programming based on compelling true stories. Located in New York, the company has projects with various broadcasters and streamers.
Independently owned and creatively led for more than 25 years, Cineflix has never lost the belief that creatives are core, and a win-win commercial approach is what brings great content to the world.
Cineflix creates, produces, and distributes must-watch TV for the global marketplace with operations in Montreal, Toronto, New York, London, and Dublin. A leading international media company, the Cineflix group includes Cineflix Productions, Cineflix Rights, and Cineflix Studios, as well as joint venture companies Buccaneer, Connect3 Media, Husk Media, and Shiny Screens Entertainment. Cineflix also share strategic partnerships through first-look deals and co-productions with a hub of producers from the US, UK, and Canada. With a catalogue of more than 6,000 hours of select programming across a wide range of genres, Cineflix is behind some of TV’s most popular and long-running shows.
Cineflix Productions, led by President and Head of Content J.C. Mills, is a leading creator and producer of must-watch content for global networks and streamers. With production and development hubs in Toronto and New York, the company is responsible for creating some of the longest running brands in cable: Property Brothers, American Pickers, Air Crash Investigation, and Property Virgins—with its reboot for A&E’s Home.Made.Nation. Our feature documentary lineup includes Nancy Buirski’s acclaimed film Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Midnight Cowboy, and Summer Qamp, which has its World Premiere at TIFF, chronicling the stories of LGBTQIA2S+ campers and counselors. These titles join a slate of compelling shows like Betting on Paradise, coming soon to HGTV US; A&E’s two-part special The Torso Killer Confessions; HGTV Canada’s hit series Rock Solid Builds; A Time to Kill with more than 100+ hours; as well as tentpole TV movies Abducted off the Street: The Carlesha Gaither Story for Lifetime, Undercover Holiday for Hallmark Channel, and I Was Lorena Bobbitt for Lifetime, winner of Best TV Movie at the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards. Cineflix Productions is part of the CINEFLIX MEDIA GROUP OF COMPANIES.
ABOUT HHMI TANGLED BANK STUDIOS
HHMI Tangled Bank Studios is a mission-driven production company that seeks to shine a light on some of the most significant scientific challenges and breakthroughs of our time. Recent films include Blue Carbon, Every Little Thing, Wild Hope, Hunt for the Oldest DNA, Wilding, Blue Whales: Return of the Giants, and Oscar-nominated All That Breathes, the only film to win best documentary at both the Sundance and Cannes film festivals. Other notable films include Emmy Award-winners The Serengeti Rules and The Farthest – Voyager In Space; Emmy-nominated My Garden of a Thousand Bees, Battle to Beat Malaria, and Nature’s Fear Factor; and Peabody Award-winner Inventing Tomorrow. To extend the reach and impact of each film, the studio undertakes educational and public outreach efforts in partnership with purpose-focused organizations. For more information, please visit WWW.TANGLEDBANKSTUDIOS.ORG.