Laura Ettinger, an associate professor of history at Clarkson University, and Zac Miller, communication & media instructor at Clarkson and founder of the independent production company, Uncommon Image Studios, have won a prestigious Award of Merit from The Impact DOCS Awards Competition. The award was given for Ettinger and Miller’s exciting documentary short, Trailblazers: The Untold Stories of Six Women Engineers, which tells the stories of six trailblazing women engineers who share their experiences overcoming obstacles and paving the way for the next generation.
“Trailblazers is about presenting six amazing, personal stories in a way that rings true for today’s audience,” said director Zac Miller. “The sexism and roadblocks that women in engineering faced in the 1970s and 1980s are unfortunately still very relevant in 2020.”
Impact DOCS recognizes film, television, videography and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Documentaries were received from 30 countries, including veteran award-winning filmmakers and fresh new talent. Entries were judged by highly qualified and award-winning professionals in the film and television industry.
In winning an Impact DOCS award, Ettinger and Miller join the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award including the Oscar-winning director Louie Psihoyos for his 2016 Best of Show – Racing Extinction, Oscar winner Yael Melamede for (Dis)Honesty – The Truth About Lies, and Emmy Award winner Gerald Rafshoon for Endless Corridors narrated by Oscar winner Jeremy Irons, and many more.
Impact DOCS Awards is the newest member of the Global Film Awards (GFA) family of competitions who have been hosting competitions for 14 years. As one of the original trendsetting digital online competitions, GFA set the standard for this exciting new breed of film competitions. GFA’s Accolade Competition was named by MovieMagazine “…as one of the top 25 festivals worth the entry fee.” It is truly international in scope offering filmmakers from large powerhouses like Disney, The Weinstein Company, Discovery and Ridley Scott all the way to first time filmmakers and students, the opportunity to receive valuable feedback from an impartial judging panel comprised of highly qualified and award-winning professionals in the industry. Often the first stop on the festival circuit, GFA award winners have gone on to win Oscars like the short doc The Lady in Number Six and Mr Hublot as well as countless Emmys, Tellys and more. Information about the Impact DOCS Awards and a list of past and recent winners can be found at www.ImpactDocsAwards.com
