Ronit Avni facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ronit Avni
Occupation	Filmmaker, human rights advocate and media strategist
Genre	Documentary
Notable works	Budrus Encounter Point

Ronit Avni is a Canadian entrepreneur, a person who starts businesses. She is also a tech founder, a human rights advocate, and a film director and producer. She won a special award called the Peabody Award for her work.

Early Life and Education

Ronit Avni grew up in Canada. She went to Vassar College and earned a degree in political science. This means she studied how governments work and how people make decisions in society.

Making a Difference Through Film

Ronit Avni started an organization called Just Vision. This group creates digital media and award-winning films. They also share news and run public education campaigns. These campaigns help people learn about important issues in North America and the Middle East.

As the leader of Just Vision, Ronit helped raise a lot of money. Her films were watched by millions of people around the world. She often spoke at events and is known for making films about difficult global topics.

Directing and Producing Films

Ronit directed and produced a documentary film called Encounter Point in 2006. This film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival. It was also shown at many other film festivals, like Tribeca Film Festival. Encounter Point was even shown at the United Nations. It won five international awards.

Ronit also produced the documentary film Budrus. This film won several awards, including one at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival. It also won the Ridenhour Prize and the PUMA Creative Impact prize.

Another film she co-produced is Naila and the Uprising. Her short film My Neighborhood won a Peabody Award. These films often focus on important social and political issues.

Helping Human Rights Defenders

Before starting Just Vision, Ronit worked for an organization called WITNESS. There, she taught people how to use film and digital media to support human rights. She showed non-governmental organizations (NGOs) how to make videos. These videos helped educate the public and encourage people to take action. They also served as evidence in courts.

Ronit helped edit a book called Video for Change: A Guide for Advocacy and Activism. She is now on the board of WITNESS. She helps guide activists and technology companies on how to use video in a responsible way.

Connecting Students to Careers

Ronit Avni also founded a company called Localized. This platform helps college students and young professionals in developing countries. It connects them with experts from around the world. These experts can offer career advice and share their knowledge in languages the students understand.

Localized started in 2018. It was chosen as one of the top companies to join a special program at NYU. Ronit was also a finalist for the "Next Billion Prize" in Dubai. She has spoken about how technology, education, and jobs are connected.

Awards and Recognition

Ronit Avni has received many honors for her work. She is a "Young Global Leader" chosen by the World Economic Forum. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Some of her awards include:

• The Common Ground Award
• The Circles of Change Award
• The Trailblazer Award
• The Daughters for Life Award

She also helps decide who wins important awards like the MacArthur Foundation’s 100 & Change Competition and the Global Teacher Prize. She has trained many leaders on how to speak well to the media and in public.

Films Ronit Avni Directed

• 2006: Encounter Point (Director, Producer, Executive Producer)

Films Ronit Avni Produced

Ronit Avni has produced or co-produced many films, including:

• 2009: Budrus (Producer)
• 2012: My Neighbourhood (Executive Producer)
• 2017: Naila and the Uprising (co-producer)

Books and Articles

Ronit Avni has also written articles and co-edited books:

• Avni, Ronit. "From Budrus to Bilin: Arresting Heroes." Huffington Post, October 14, 2010.
• Video for Change: A How-To Guide on Using Video in Advocacy and Activism (co-edited with Sam Gregory, Gillian Caldwell, and Thomas Harding)

Major Film Awards

Encounter Point Awards (2006)

• Winner, Audience Award, Best Documentary at San Francisco International Film Festival
• Winner, Spirit of Freedom Jury Prize at Bahamas International Film Festival
• Winner, Best Musical Score at BEND International Film Festival
• Winner, Henry Hampton Award for Excellence in Film and Digital Media

Budrus Awards (2010-2011)

• Winner, Panorama Audience Award Second Prize, Berlin International Film Festival
• Winner, Special Jury Mention, Tribeca Film Festival
• Winner, Audience Award, San Francisco International Film Festival
• Winner, Witness Award at Silverdocs Film Festival
• Winner, Amnesty Italia Award, Pesaro Film Festival
• Winner, Founders Prize, Best of Fest, Nonfiction, Traverse City Film Festival
• Winner, Checkpoints Award, Bergen International Film Festival
• Winner, Festival des Libertés Prize, Festival des Libertés
• Winner, Spirit of Freedom Documentary Award, Bahamas International Film Festival
• Winner, Amnesty's Matter of Act Human Rights Award, Movies That Matter Film Festival
• Winner, Jury Award for Excellence in Documenting a Human Rights Issue, Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival (2011)