Posted on October 12, 2016
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is honored and thrilled to collaborate with filmmaker Paolo Monico and the organizers of the 7th Annual Awareness Film Festival to raise awareness about the occupational dangers posed by asbestos.
The festival showcases short films like The Mother, Paolo’s film about asbestos and mesothelioma, in addition to documentary and narrative feature-length films, music videos and public service announcements. The festival is rounded with events like Q&As and panels with filmmakers, conscious art and live music.
The mission of the Awareness Film Festival, organized by Los Angeles-based nonprofit Heal One World, is to inform and inspire audiences through a program of films on ecological, political, health/well-being and spiritual. We are honored to have the opportunity to spotlight filmmakers committed to making positive change throughout the world.
ADAO Intern Sara Tiano provided educational materials about asbestos at the Awareness Film Fest.
The festival organizers exhibited an extraordinary collaborative spirit and true commitment to raising awareness by inviting ADAO to set up a table with educational resources during the festival. Paolo’s film and the Awareness Film Festival perfectly exemplify the amazing educational reach we can have when we combine art with advocacy.
Paolo explained how his art evolved from a coping method to a vehicle for advocacy:
“I think a lot of filmmakers start writing about personal stories because they feel the urge to overcome a loss. It could be dignity, faith, hope, love, anything. I’m no exception. For me, it was the loss of my biggest supporter and fan: my father. He passed away in 2002 from pleural mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. When that happened, I felt lost and I wished I could have shared those feelings with others. But that’s not so easy. So I started writing, thinking that that was the best way to overcome my grief and anger. And then something magic happened: when I took my story out into the world, I realized that I wasn’t alone. I met Linda Reinstein and the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and I found out that there were hundreds, thousands of people who went through the same painful process. I met them, I heard their stories, I told them mine, and all of sudden my burden became a little lighter. I think this is the beauty of filmmaking. It’s never about yourself. It’s about a shared human experience. It’s only when your stories are both ‘personal’ and ‘universal’ at the same time that you actually have a shot at reaching people’s hearts.”
Paolo’s incredible artistry makes his message about asbestos sing, and the Awareness Film Festival has built up attention to the art — now it’s up to ADAO to amp up the advocacy! While Paolo continues to open more and more eyes to the asbestos issue, drawing more people to our cause, we need to do our part in pressuring policy change.
With the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) poised to announce 10 high-risk chemicals for safety review and regulation under our newly reformed chemical safety laws by mid-December, we must continue to pressure the Agency to ensure asbestos is on that list.
The Mother beautifully illustrates the terrifying, helpless feeling so familiar to those of us who have faced diagnosis of an asbestos-caused disease. But when we partner for prevention, we are anything but helpless. Together, we are making change happen, and ADAO is so grateful to both Paolo and the Awareness Film Festival for being part of that change.
In unity,
Linda