Edet Belzberg facts for kids

Edet Belzberg is a talented documentary filmmaker. She creates films that tell true stories about real people and events. In 2005, she won a very special award called the MacArthur Fellowship. This award is sometimes called the "Genius Grant" because it recognizes people with extraordinary creativity.

About Edet Belzberg

Edet Belzberg studied at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Later, she continued her education at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. She has also shared her knowledge by teaching at Columbia University and New York University (NYU). She lives in New York City.

Early Films and Awards

In 1997, Edet won an award for her short documentary film, A Master Violinist. This film told the story of a Chinese musician who had to leave his home.

Her first major film was Children Underground, released in 2001. This powerful documentary showed the lives of five homeless children living in a subway system. The film received great recognition:

• It won the Special Jury Prize at the famous Sundance Film Festival in 2001.
• It also won the Best Documentary Film Award from the International Documentary Association.
• Children Underground was even nominated for an Academy Award in 2001. This is one of the highest honors in filmmaking!

Later Works

In 2008, Edet Belzberg directed a documentary called The Recruiter. This film followed a top U.S. Army recruiter and his relationship with young people joining the army. It showed their journey from high school through basic training.

Her 2014 film, Watchers of the Sky, also premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. This film explored important ideas about human rights and justice. It won several awards, including:

• The U.S. Documentary Editing Award.
• The U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Achievement for Use of Animation.

Films by Edet Belzberg

Here are some of the films Edet Belzberg has directed or produced:

As a Director

• A Master Violinist (1997, a short film)
• Children Underground (2001)
• Gymnast (2005)
• Time Piece (2006, part of a larger film)
• The Recruiter (2007)
• Watchers of the Sky (2014)

As a Producer

• Anthem (1997, associate producer)
• Children Underground (2001)
• Gymnast (2005)
• The Recruiter (2007)