Photo credit: Jennifer Painter
Screening and discussion with First Sight team
Monday, October 7th The ACCESS NY Indian Jewish Outreach Committee hosted a screening of “First Sight” a documentary about curable blindness in India in partnership with the JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Avenue, New York City. TV Anchor and Director Joya Dass, Producer Daniella Kahane, Sound/Assistant Editor Cheriyan John and Sankara NYC/LI Representative Kanika Marwaha were in attendance for the post screening Q&A. Website: http://www.firstsightthefilm.com Trailer: http://vimeo.com/23829119
On the heels of a screening with the Association of Indians in Hershey Pennsylvania September 6th, this marks the 27th screening of the film, centered on three protagonists who undergo critical and life changing eye surgeries at the Sankara Eye Care Institutions India. Danielle Cohen, Director of Access NY said, “A core mission of ACCESS NY is to build bridges of understanding with various cultures and ethnic groups throughout NYC. Our members were so moved and appreciative to have the opportunity to be part of this screening, and to learn about the plight of those in India who suffer from (often) curable blindness, and the life-changing work of the Sankara Eye Foundation.”
Special thanks to Producer Daniella Kahane for organizing the screening.
About Joya Dass, Director and Producer of “First Sight”
Joya Dass is a business news anchor on-air for NY1 and CNN. She has delivered business news for all the major networks including Bloomberg and ABC for the last 15 years. She is also the host of a popular Saturday morning entertainment show AVS, targeting the first and second generation Indian living in America. “First Sight” (www.firstsightthefilm.com) is Joya’s first social justice documentary, tackling the issue of curable blindness in the developing world. The film is currently on a screening circuit, and aims to raise funding for the work of the Sankara Eye Foundation. Additionally, she is principal and co-founder of a production company called Avenue Media & Creative (www.ave-media.com). Avenue is currently in production with a series of documentaries for the Rockefeller Foundation.
About AJC Access: Advocacy for a New Generation
Photo credit: Jennifer Painter
ACCESS, AJC’s New Generation Program, empowers Jewish young professionals to engage with today’s critical domestic and international issues. At the nexus between the Jewish community and the world, ACCESS reaches out to diplomats, opinion makers and young leaders of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds. We empower members to engage on Israel, Iran and the greater Middle East, and on challenges to civility, tolerance and democracy globally in a thoughtful and effective way.
At ACCESS we believe a younger generation is increasingly shaping public opinion and policy around the world andthat is vital that Jewish voices participate in the conversation We equip young Jewish leaders to stand at the forefront of this engagement and to be global agents of change.
To connect to AJC ACCESS in your region, please click here.
ACCESS is a division of AJC’s Helen and Martin Kimmel Young Leadership Institute.
About Sankara Eye Foundation:
India bears the highest burden of the world’s blind. A quarter of the world’s blind live in India. Fortunately, 80% of them can be cured! Sankara’s mission statement is to eradicate curable blinds in India by 2020: Vision 20/20 by 2020!
The Open an Eye Program cures one person’s blindness with just a $30 donation. Sankara Eye Foundation is a registered IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and donations are tax deductible as permissible by law. To learn more about the Sankara Eye Foundation please visit http://www.GiftofVIsion.org or email Kanika@GiftofVision.org
Title: FIRST SIGHTDirector/Co-Producer: Joya Dass Producer: Daniella Kahane Director of Photography: Marcelo Bukin Editor: Juan Manuel Leguizamón Music Directors: Anandan Sivamanii, Falu Shah, Mark Tewarson Score: Sivamani, Falu Language: Tamil with English subtitles Genre: Documentary Runtime: 50 minutesScreen Format: HD 720pAudio format: Dolby StereoOfficial Site:
http://www.firstsightthefilm.comTrailer: http://vimeo.com/23829119
SYNOPSIS:Living in rural India and beset by poverty, poor hygiene, and lack of medical care, Ranjith, Balaji, and Anitha all suffer from devastating eye conditions that diminish their quality of life and threaten their futures. First Sight follows the emotional journeys of these young patients as they prepare for and undergo life-changing procedures to reverse their debilitating handicap.
JOYA DASS 