Ronit Avni is a Canadian entrepreneur, tech founder, human rights advocate, and

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...

-winning film director and producer.

Early life and education

Avni was born and raised in Canada. She graduated with honors with a

B.A. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

from

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely follo ...

Career

Avni is the founder and executive director of

Just Vision Just Vision is a non religiously unaffiliated nonprofit organization that utilizes storytelling, media and public engagement campaigns to highlight Palestinian and Israeli grassroots leaders working to end the occupation and conflict through unarme ...

, a

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

that creates

digital media Digital media is any communication media that operate in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital media can be created, viewed, distributed, modified, listened to, and preserved on a digital electronics device. ' ...

, award-winnin
films
(Naila and the Uprising, Budrus, My Neighborhood, Encounter Point), news analysis and public education campaigns in North America and the Middle East. As Executive Director of Just Vision, Avni raised over $10M, managed a diverse team and her films were seen by tens of millions of viewers on TV and online globally. She was a frequent speaker in think tanks,

community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

, international,

educational Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Vari ...

and media settings and is known for creating content that addresses sensitive geopolitical topics. Avni directed and produced the documentary film, '' Encounter Point'', which received the 2006

San Francisco International Film Festival The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by the San Francisco Film Society, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in in ...

Audience Award for Best Documentary and was an official selection at the

Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by TriBeCa Productions, Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive progra ...

Hot Docs The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is the largest documentary festival in North America. The event takes place annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The 27th edition of the festival took place online throughout May and June ...

Atlanta Film Festival The Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) is a long-running, international film festival held in Atlanta, Georgia operated by the Atlanta Film Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Started in 1976 and occurring every spring, the festival shows a ...

Vancouver International Film Festival The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for two weeks in late September and early October. The festival is operated by the Greater Vancouver International Film Fest ...

Dubai International Film Festival The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF, ar, مهرجان دبي السينمائي الدولي) is the leading film festival in the Arab region. The 12th edition of DIFF took place from December 9 – 16, 2015. In 2018, the DIFF announce ...

and

Jerusalem International Film Festival The Jerusalem Film Festival ( he, פסטיבל הקולנוע ירושלים, ar, مهرجان القدس السينمائي) is an international film festival held annually in Jerusalem, It was established in 1984 by the Director of the Jerusal ...

. '' Encounter Point'' has screened at the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

and in Gaza,

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

Jenin Jenin (; ar, ') is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate of the State of Palestine and is a major center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, Jenin had a population of app ...

and more than 200 cities worldwide and has won 5 international awards. Avni appeared on

The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', often referred to as ''The Oprah Show'' or simply ''Oprah'', is an American daytime broadcast syndication, syndicated talk show that aired nationally for 25 seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in Chicag ...

in 2005 and her work was featured on Oprah.com, and on

Christiane Amanpour Christiane Maria Heideh AmanpourStated on ''Finding Your Roots'', 22 January 2019 (; fa, کریستیان امان‌پور, Kristiane Amānpur; born 12 January 1958) is a British-Iranian journalist and television host. Amanpour is the Chief ...

’s show, Amanpour, on

CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...

. She produced the documentary film ''

Budrus Budrus ( ar, بٌدرُس) is a Palestinian village in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate, located 31 kilometers northwest of Ramallah in the northern West Bank. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), the village ha ...

'', which received the

Berlinale The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

's Panorama Audience Award Second Prize, the Special Jury Mention at the

and the Audience Award at the

in 2010.

premiered at the Cultural Bridge Gala at the

in December 2009. It won the

Ridenhour Prize The Ridenhour Prizes are awards in four categories given annually in recognition of those "who persevere in acts of truth-telling that protect the public interest, promote social justice or illuminate a more just vision of society". History The aw ...

and the 2012 PUMA Creative Impact prize. She co-produced ''Naila and the Uprising'', which premiered at DocNYC, IDFA and the

. Her short film ''My Neighborhood'' won a Peabody Award. Avni trained human rights defenders worldwide to incorporate film and digital media into their advocacy campaigns while working for the human rights organization
WITNESS
Avni has trained

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

s to produce videos as a tool for

public education State schools (in England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand) or public schools (Scottish English and North American English) are generally primary or secondary schools that educate all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in pa ...

and grassroots mobilizing, as a deterrent to further abuse and as evidence before courts and

tribunal A tribunal, generally, is any person or institution with authority to judge, adjudicate on, or determine claims or disputes—whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title. For example, an advocate who appears before a court with a single ...

s. She co-edited the book ''Video for Change: A Guide for Advocacy and Activism'', with staff from WITNESS. She now sits on the WITNESS Board, chairing the Program Committee as WITNESS advises activists and technology companies on the ethical uses of video. Avni is the founder o
Localized
a platform that connects college students and aspiring professionals in emerging markets to global professionals who can offer career guidance and expertise in languages they share. Launching in 2018 in Arabic and English, Localized was selected as one of 12 companies to join the NYU Steinhardt Edtech Accelerator, powered by StartEd in collaboration with Rethink Education Fund. She was a finalist for the 2018 ''Next Billion Prize'' at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai, overseen by TechCrunch Editor-at-Large Mike Butcher. A 2018

World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...

Halcyon Fellow, she has spoken and written about the intersection of technology, workforce readiness, education and migration for the World Economic Forum and The National's Future Forum in Abu Dhabi. Avni is a ''Young Global Leader'', sponsored by the

, a Term Member at the

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, mi ...

and has been recognized with a variety of honors, including the Search for Common Ground's Common Ground Award, the Circles of Change Award, Auburn Seminary's Lives of Commitment Award, the Trailblazer Award from the National Council for Research for Women and th
Daughters for Life Award
She sits on the jury of both the

MacArthur Foundation The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private foundation that makes grants and impact investments to support non-profit organizations in approximately 50 countries around the world. It has an endowment of $7.0 billion and p ...

’s 100 & Change Competition and th
Global Teacher Prize
She has trained hundreds of business leaders, MBA students, nonprofit leaders and civil servants to speak persuasively to the media, on stage and in executive settings with KNP Communications.

Director

*2006: '' Encounter Point'' (Director, Producer, Executive Producer)

Producer

*2000-2002: ''Now is the Hardest Time'' (Associate Producer) *2001: ''Forgotten People'' (Associate Producer) *2001: ''Expelled'' (Associate Producer) *2001: ''Postcards from Peje'' (Associate Producer) *2001: ''Refuge'' (co-producer) *2001: ''A Right to Justice'' (Associate Producer) *2001: ''The Road to Pineapple'' (Associate Producer) *2001: ''Rule of the Gun in Sugarland'' (Associate Producer) *2001: ''Set Apart'' (Senior Producer) *2001: ''The Soul Eaters'' (Senior Producer) *2001: ''Terra Nas Nossas Mãos'' (Supervising Producer) *2001: ''Youth Interrupted'' (Associate Producer, 2001) *2002: ''Rise'' (Writer/Producer) *2002: ''Following Antigone: Forensic Anthropology and Human Rights Investigations'' (Associate Producer) *2002: ''Fueling Abuse: Foreign Investment and Terror in Burma'' (Associate Producer) *2002: ''No Place to Go'' (Associate Producer) *2002: ''Voices from Silence'' (Associate Producer) *2003: ''Garifunas Holding Ground'' (Writer/Producer) *2006: ''Encounter Point'' (Director, Producer, Executive Producer) *2009: ''Budrus'' (Producer) *2011: ''Home Front: Portraits from Sheikh Jarrah'' (Co-Producer, Executive Producer) *2012: ''My Neighbourhood'' (Executive Producer) *2017: Naila and the Uprising (co-producer)

Books and articles

*Avni, Ronit.
From Budrus to Bilin: Arresting Heroes
" ''

Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...

'', October 14, 2010. *''Video for Change: A How-To Guide on Using Video in Advocacy and Activism'' (by Sam Gregory, Gillian Caldwell, Ronit Avni and Thomas Harding)

Awards and nominations

In 2006, the film ''Encounter Point'' was: *Winner, Audience Award, Best Documentary at San Francisco International Film Festival *Winner, Spirit of Freedom Jury Prize at Bahamas International Film Festival *Voted Top 5 Audience Pick at Kansas International Film Festival *Opening Night at Vancouver International Film Festival *Winner, Best Musical Score at BEND International Film Festival *Director's Cut Work-in-progress

True/False Film Festival True/False Film Fest is an annual documentary film festival that takes place in Columbia, Missouri. The Fest occurs on the first weekend in March (sometimes beginning in late February), with films being shown from Thursday evening to Sunday nig ...

*Director's Cut Work-in-progress Screening Search for Common Ground *Winner, Henry Hampton Award for Excellence in Film and Digital Media In 2010-11, the film ''Budrus'' was: *Winner, Panorama Audience Award Second Prize, Berlin International Film Festival *Winner, Special Jury Mention, Tribeca Film Festival *Winner, Audience Award, San Francisco International Film Festival *Winner, Honorable Mention for Best Documentary in the Spirit of Freedom Award, Jerusalem International Film Festival *Winner, Witness Award at Silverdocs Film Festival, *Winner, Honorable Mention of the Jury, Documenta Madrid *Winner, Amnesty Italia Award, Pesaro Film Festival, *Winner, Founders Prize, Best of Fest, Nonfiction, Traverse City Film Festival *Winner, Checkpoints Award, Bergen International Film Festival *Winner, Festival des Libertés Prize, Festival des Libertés *Winner, Spirit of Freedom Documentary Award, Bahamas International Film Festival *Winner, Amnesty's Matter of Act Human Rights Award, Movies That Matter Film Festival *Winner, Jury Award for Excellence in Documenting a Human Rights Issue, Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival (2011) In 2009-11, Ronit Avni was: *Winner, King Hussein Leadership Prize, 2009 *Winner, Circles of Change Award, 2010 *Winner, The Common Ground Award, 2010 *Winner, The Henry Hampton Award for Excellence in Film and Digital Media, 2011 *Winner, The Ridenhour Documentary Film Prize, 2011 *Winner, Next Billion Ed Tech Prize, 2018

References

External links

*
Ronit Avni page on ''"Encounter Point"'' website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avni, Ronit Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Canadian women activists Canadian activists Canadian women in business Vassar College alumni