Directed by Oscar-nominated Roko Belic, film shows crucial need for media literacy and solutions for more resilience, hope, and trust
LOS ANGELES — WORLD Channel and Public Broadcasting Stations (PBS) nationwide will kick off the New Year with a special one-hour, made-for-television version of “Trust Me,” the documentary created by acclaimed director Roko Belic and Joe Phelps of The Getting Better Foundation.
The film brings awareness to the need for media literacy to help combat polarization of communities, threats to democracy, medical misinformation, and mental illnesses. It features compelling stories from around the world where a lack of media literacy led to crises. Interviews from world-renowned experts are interwoven, explaining why humanity is drawn to sensational and negative news and how commercial media often capitalizes on our biases. Original songs and music videos are by Michael R. Martin and Joe Phelps. A link to the trailer is here.
“Trust Me” has featured widely at conferences, including National Association of Media Literacy Education; UNESCO; MediaLiteracyNow; American Library Association, National Council of Teachers of English, and the U.S. State Department’s Global Conference on Media Literacy. It has won four “best documentary” awards at U.S. film festivals. The film premiered January 7 on WORLD stations, and on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings).
Michelle Ciulla-Lipkin, Director – National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE):
“Trust Me opens up the vital conversation about the importance of understanding the media landscape which surrounds us. As someone who works every day to create a media literate world, I am grateful for this film and its message about the importance of reflecting on the way media shapes the world we live in. It’s an incredibly important film at an incredibly important time. You will want to see this. Trust me.”
Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology – Harvard University: “It’s essential that we understand how people learn about current affairs and how we can enhance their knowledge about the present and hope for the future. “Trust Me” is a vivid, engaging, and penetrating portrait of these vital issues.”
Joe Phelps, Executive Producer, said, “The number of thought leaders and professional associations who have heartily endorsed “Trust Me” sends a strong, credible signal to teachers and parents, that this is a timely film, about a challenge that is crucial to our overall health, is worthwhile viewing.”
For information about “Trust Me” contact Rosemary Smith, Impact Producer at 989.370.2777.
Or visit www.trustmedocumentary.com for educational licensing or private screenings.
“Trust Me” press kit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M2GGJRen6ZesFuc-NarOZwU5WpZzq0DZ/view?pli=1
About Getting Better Foundation (GBF): The mission of GBF is to “Build trust through the truth about the positive progress of humans.” The Foundation primarily supports media literacy education and has produced “Trust Me” to raise awareness of peoples’ need for media literacy to help build trust, resilience, and well-being. Armed with media literacy, people can avoid online manipulation, empowering them to rise to the best versions of themselves and collaborate with others to enable progress. Visit www.gettingbetterfoundation.org or contact Rosemary Smith, Managing Director: rosemary.smith@gettingbetterfoundation.org or, Joe Phelps: 406.224.2409 joe.phelps@gettingbetterfoundation.org
About WORLD Channel:
WORLD shares the best of public media in news, documentaries, and programming. WORLD’s original series examine the issues and amplify the voices of those often ignored by mainstream media. The multicast 24/7 channel helps audiences understand conflicts, movements, and cultures from around the globe. Its original work has won a Peabody Award, an Alfred I. Dupont-Columbia Award, a National News and Documentary Emmy Award and many others honoring diversity of content and makers. WORLD is carried by 189 member stations in markets representing over 73% of US TV households. Funding for WORLD Channel is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Wyncote Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts and Artworks. WORLD is produced by GBH in partnership with WNET and is distributed by American Public Television (APT). Find out more at WORLDChannel.org.
About PBS:
PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’ premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math, and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org.
About NETA:
The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) is a professional association representing 279 member stations in 47 states, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. NETA provides leadership, general audience content, educational services, professional development and trusted financial management services, including human resources and benefits administration, to individual public media licensees, their affinity groups and public media as a whole, visit www.netaonline.org