WHAT: HUMMINGBIRD In the beautiful coastal city of Recife, Brazil – a world capital for sex tourism – a couple of determined women decided they would try to break the cycle of domestic violence and get kids off the streets. Hummingbird goes onto the streets and sees the harsh reality these kids face and shows how these programs help break the cycle, using what they call the pedagogy of affection.

The film follows the story of Adriana, a girl who left home at the age of six and had a daughter at age 11. After seeing the cycle that leads kids to the street, these women began addressing family issues at the root of the problem and working with both the mind and body to overcome their trauma.

WHO: HOLLY MOSHER Holly Mosher grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In high school she developed a passion for both photography and philosophy that led her to pursue filmmaking. In her college entrance paper, she cited George Orwell’s idea that all art should be political, and today, uses that concept to guide her work.

Holly graduated with honors from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. After graduating, she spent two years in Brazil working as an assistant picture and sound editor on four feature films, including the Oscar nominated film O Quatrilho. Once back in the US, Holly went on to produce numerous commercials and feature films. The Hollywood Reporter, named her among the top up-and-coming independent film producers in 2001.

In 2004, Holly decided to return to her true passion to unite political purpose with art. Her directorial debut was the award-winning Hummingbird, an inspiring documentary about two non-profits in Brazil that work with street children and women who suffer domestic violence. The film got rave reviews and even inspired people to go to Brazil to volunteer with these NGOs.

Holly then went on to produce two films about the dangerous and misleading tactics of the pharmaceutical industry. The films, Side Effects, starring Katherine Heigl, and Money Talks: Profits Before Patient Safety, received unprecedented international press attention and have been heralded for raising awareness about a timely and important topic. Money Talks: Profits Before Patient Safety was honored by the American Library Association as a top pick of 2008.

To ensure that socially conscious films are brought to the public, Holly teamed up to launch Hummingbird Pictures, an independent film distribution company. Their motto is, “Making a difference, one drop at a time,” a theme taken from Holly’s first film Hummingbird.

In 2011 Holly directed, Bonsai People – The Vision of Muhammad Yunus, which is now airing on public television. And her 3 minute version of the film, The Impact of One, was a semi-finalist in Cinelan and GE’s Focus Forward Film Contest.

Holly frequently tours with her films, gets interviewed by the media and does speaking engagements around the world. She c­urrently serves as President of Public Interest Pictures and the Social Enterprise Alliance – LA Chapter, and is on the advisory board of Empowerment Works.

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Location: National Council of Jewish Women Los Angeles Section