The Better World Fund at the 76th Cannes Film Festival
presents: “The Evolution of Humanity: Moving for I to We”,
Sunday 21st & Monday 22nd of May, 2023,
Carlton Hotel Cannes.
The entire program will be livestreamed on the HERFLIX platform.
Cinematic art at the service of humanity: With this cultural thread, the
Better World Fund’s vocation is to raise consciousness.
Since 2016, BWF, Better World Fund, a Paris-based non-profit organization,
has been organizing tangible actions, prestigious international events and
inspiring cultural programs. Again, this year, in the sumptuous salons of the
Carlton hotel, we will gather celebrities, filmmakers and leaders from all
around the world, fueled by the desire to positively influence the future of our
society.
• What are the goals of Better World Fund for Manuel Collas de la Roche,
President, and Founder ?
“Deeply humanitarian, I am convinced that together we can move mountains by
providing concrete solutions to tomorrow’s challenges.
After a career in the film industry, both as an actor and producer, spirituality has
always been at the center of my life.
In 2016, driven by the desire to take part in this movement of awareness, I
launched the Better World Fund.
I believe in the power of cinema as a means of spreading messages, aiming to
make the public aware of the major challenges facing our planet and that of our
children. My wish is to keep hope alive by doing my part as a global citizen, for
the good of all. ”
B E T T E R W O R L D
F U N D
The Better World Fund rewards film personalities committed to social and
environmental causes. At each event, the Fund financially supports a
humanitarian project led by a non-profit organization.
“ Everywhere in the world, women and men are creating, innovating, and taking
action for climate change, social inequalities, culture, and education. The Better
World Fund’s ambition is to highlight and financially support these actions that
give hope.
Thanks to the generosity of our partners and participants, we are proud to have
helped numerous associations and foundations during our successful programs
and events. May it be at the Cannes Film Festival, at the Mostra, the
international Venice Film Festival, in Los Angeles, in Toronto, in Monaco, in Cairo,
in New York, in Saudi Arabia or even during the Expo 2020 in Dubai.”
• At the heart of film festivals, such as Cannes, how does the Better World
Fund help raise awareness among celebrities and filmmakers to
have a positive impact on the world?
For Manuel Collas de la Roche, « we are convinced that today, the cinema
industry holds a statutory role as a vector of social, educational and
environmental values. Awareness is an essential pillar of the art, as is the need
to present better visibility to powerful and cause-focused films, all driven by the
desire to have a positive impact on the world.
We saw it at the 2023 Césars: figures from French cinema called for the
invention of an „ecological way of life”. This mobilization is in line with our own.
Cinema has a role to play in the face of the ecological crises, the authors point
out, „that of helping to change the way the world is represented”. Film
professionals are called upon to develop ecological, fair and desirable images,
and to bring them to the screen with their talents. The ambition is to imagine
„an ‘ecological way of life’, in which our relationship with the living world and the
meaning of our civilizations are re-examined”. Many production companies are
taking responsible measures and managing their films in this way. »
On 22 May, our theme, „Humanity’s evolution from I to we” will echo
the United Nations International Day for Biological Diversity, which is
the basis for current and future human well-being. The preservation of
biodiversity is essential to ensure a sustainable future for humanity by
enabling a transition to a more environmentally conscious and responsible
„we”.
In this sense, for this Cannes edition, we chose to support the Akbaraly
Foundation, an organization that promotes the right to health, education and
a better quality of life for women and children in Madagascar and the Amazônia
Fund Alliance Program for the UNESCO Brazilian Federation (BFUCA), an
organization that opts to to preserve the Amazônian ecosystems.
Manuel Collas de la Roche, explains : “For both organizations the links with
biological diversity were obvious. On the one hand, for Madagascar, biodiversity
conservation can contribute to improving the livelihoods of local communities,
which in turn can promote access to education for children.
The problems of the Tribes in the Amazon and biodiversity are also closely linked.
The conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems in the Amazon region is
therefore essential to protect not only the fauna and flora, but also the lifestyles
and traditions of the indigenous tribes that depend on them.”
• How does the Better Word Fund distinguish itself from other charity
events?
The Better World Fund distinguishes itself by its unique disruptive
format, offering a rich, meaningful and hopeful program. Throughout
these two days, led by inspiring and emblematic personalities, experts in
their social, educational, cultural or environmental fields, we will contribute
to find concrete solutions to the problems facing the contemporary world and
for our future.
“ Through our conference program, we will explore this essential theme of living
together, because in our world, where our climate alerts us to our own behavior,
where the rise of inflation, inequality and violence threaten our politics and our
societies, living together is no longer an option.
This 2023 edition will also put the spotlight on youth. All those young people
who carry our tomorrow within them, drawing us a „better world”. A conference
entitled „Youth’s got the power” will give them a voice.” said Manuel Collas de
la Roche.
Our conferences provide a „plus” to the Festival, through the high level of
speakers as well as the inspiring and impactful themes.
> Mastermind, philanthropic challenges & debate : Forum on awareness
and social impact, with a focus on the influence of the film industry.
> Academia for a better world : Conference, in partnership with The
Paris-Saclay University.
> Masterclass “Youth’s got the power”: Aimed to encourage young
people who design, innovate and create, to be active in the metamorphosis
of our society.
Better World Fund also distinguishes itself by its charity gala
evening, whether in Venice, Dubai, Cannes ..
For Manuel Collas de la Roche, « As every year, we do our very best to
make this evening, placed under the sign of the heart, unforgettable for the
guests. »
On May 21st, it will be held in the prestigious reception hall of the
Carlton Cannes Hotel, which was recently renovated.
The gala dinner will feature a very high quality artistic program, an
award ceremony and an auction to benefit the two NGO’s that the Better
World Fund supports: the Akbaraly Foundation, and the Amazônia Fund
Alliance Program for the UNESCO Brazilian Federation (BFUCA).
> We will have the honour of welcoming ARISA, the Italian pop singer,
actress, writer, TV personality: Arisa’s artistic career branches out in many
directions, all illuminated by her versatile talent.
> A unique concert will be performed by LIZ MC COMB, the best of
gospel, blues, soul and jazz. Liz will take us through all the states of
the human condition: moving and sometimes painful, exalted but serene,
ardent but sensual, and always playful.
> Georges Tomb, an award-winning composer and concert pianist of
international fame, will host the dinner. He studied composition &
orchestration with Conrad Pope and Christopher Young in Vienna.
> Celebrating young artists with the Austrian violinist and composer
Yury Revich. He won the ECHO Klassik Award, the International Classical
Music Award.
> And a showcase by Élie BNC & a children’s Choir „Unité”; an
international artistic project bringing together several children’s choirs
from around the world.
> The guests will also be treated to a special performance called Amazonia
the Space of Life and relish in a 10-minute excerpt from their show,
which features an ancestral dance aimed at fighting climate change. The
performance will be captured by a professional film crew from Inside Us
Films and will be directed by Lia Beltrami, a highly accomplished
filmmaker who has won numerous awards for her documentaries and was
appointed as Representative of Religions for Peace at FAO-UN.
An evocation close to Manuel Collas de la Roche’s heart :
“I would like to mention one of the most special women and charitable hearts of
our time, Matha Amritanandamayi, from Kerala, India, known as „Amma” who
has dedicated her life to humanitarian projects all over the world. I was lucky
enough to meet her 25 years ago and to learn about her non-profit organization
„Embracing the World”. Amma has been an inspiration to me, but also because
her relationship to the world, the way she „embraces” it, embodies for me the
way we should think about the relationship between man, nature and our planet,
moving from I to we.”
…
AN AMAZING PROGRAM ENCOURAGING A POSITIVE IMPACT
WORLDWIDE, AT THE CARLTON CANNES HOTEL:
Sunday May 21st
> 11.00 am : Press Conference.
> 07.30 pm : Cocktail Reception and Red Carpet.
> 08.30 pm : Sumptuous Better World Fund Gala Dinner and
entertainment.
> 11.00 pm : Awards Ceremony and Auction.
Monday May 22nd
> 9.30 am to 11.00 am : Conference: „Academia for a Better World”,
in partnership with The Paris-Saclay University.
The 2023 Academia for a Better World ABW Conference will stage in
Cannes outstanding international speakers to present the best solutions
worldwide addressing endemic inequalities that women and children are
suffering from exacerbated by climate change and social divide, especially for
coastal populations.
The World Education Heritage WE-H program cofounded by UNESCO and
University Paris-Saclay (ABW cofounder) which happens to be a key borderless
platform to adress all types of educational divide is at the heart of those
solutions.
Academia for Better World was created in December 2021 by “Université Paris Saclay”
and Better World Fund. It is a borderless philanthropic platform whose objective is to
facilitate the deployment of the best global solutions in support of the United Nations’
17 sustainable development goals.
> 11.00 am to 01.00 pm : Mastermind: “The Evolution of Humanity,
from I to we”; In conjunction with the UN International Day for
Biological Diversity.
The last two years have shown us the vulnerability of our societies as well as the
frailty of our lives: It is a matter of reinventing ourselves, of leading us all
towards a surge of Consciousness.
An essential movement of consciousness, aiming to give women and
men their rightful place in their society, to reconcile them, so we may
live together on earth, in security and peace. With the ever-increasing
levels of violence, particularly against women and girls around the world, it is
imperative to rethink our patriarchal societies to ensure the respect and
protection of women and furthermore, of life itself.
In this sense, education has a major role to play; educating children in
egalitarian beliefs today will shape the adults they become tomorrow.
How can we then change our behavior to take care of ourselves, others and our
planet?
Should we consider that the film industry reflects society or influences it?
Do images have a major role to play in this ambition that makes sense of the
collective?
Are we capable of taking part in this movement of Consciousness for a
reconciliation of humans among themselves? Do we accept to draw on our
inestimable strengths to transform our pain into joy and our hatred into love?
Do we accept to move from I to we?
> 02.30 pm to 04.00 pm : Masterclass: “Youth’s got the Power”.
A conference debate led by young people, with young people, for young
people… for our future. These young people are the catalysts of a societal
revolution that will shape a new paradigm for the world. Understanding their
relationship to work, money, inclusion, the search for meaning and sensitivity to
great causes is the great challenge we face today.
However, these young people offer us the most indispensable energy: HOPE.
Our speakers are all under 30 years old ; some are already in the workplace,
others are high school or university students… What do they have in common?
In their own way, they are all driven by the desire to positively influence the
future of our society. This conference/debate presents a one-time chance to
address a topic that concerns everyone: the role of young people in our society.
> 4.00 pm : Special Film screening, Maria by Callas, by Tom VOLF.
In line with our theme, „the evolution of humanity from I to we”, the Better
World Fund will support the Maria Callas Foundation.
Maria Callas, who would have been 100 years old this year, symbolizes an artist
who moved from the ‘I’ to the ‘we’. She has used her voice and fame to bring
societal issues to the attention of the public, and to engage other artists in their
ability to act for a better world.
During the last five years, Tom Volf, a versatile French artist, created the film
‘Maria by Callas, in her own words’, which was released in France in 2017 and
in over 45 countries in 2018.
This award-winning documentary became the most-watched French-produced
film in the world in 2018, leading to the publication of two books and a third
book on Callas’ letters and memoirs.
…
About the Better World Fund
After the successful events during the Cannes Film Festival, Monaco, Cairo,
Venice Film Festival, New York, and Dubai during the Universal Exhibition EXPO
2020 in 2022, for its 11th edition, the Better World Endowment Fund chose once
more Cannes to embrace new contours for decisive action by supporting
meaningful projects.
From images to action, the Better World Forum is joining forces with partners to
create a platform assembling filmmakers, writers, scientists, environmentalists,
and project leaders to explore and activate palpable initiatives to preserve and
protect ecosystems.
Some of our latest achievements and positive impacts include:
• In December 2021, during Expo 2020 in Dubai, we raised awareness for
people with disabilities and promoted charity organizations that have
been implicated, including the global philanthropic organization Dubai
Cares.
• In March 2022, within the framework of the Expo 2020 in Dubai and the
United Nations Oceans Fortnight, we focused on the preservation of our
oceans and the importance of the blue economy.
• In May and September 2022, during the Cannes and Venice film festivals,
we focused our actions on raising both funds and awareness for global
inequalities related to food, health and sustainability.
Previous award winners and attendees include Nobel Laureates, Academy, Globe,
and Grammy Awards winners such as H.S.H Prince Albert II, Sharon Stone,
Forest Whitaker, Wim Wenders, Jean Michel Cousteau, Mary J. Blige, Akon and
Yann Arthus-Bertrand, His Excellency DR Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi Minister
of Climate and Environment U.A.E., His Excellency Simon Stiel Minister of
Climate Government of Granada, Andrew Forrest Minderro Foundation Australia,
Dennis Mukwege, Chief Raoni.
…
This Year’s Edition, for The Benefit of :
The Akbaraly Foundation develops sustainable and integrated projects to
promote the right to health, education, and a better quality of life for women
and children in Madagascar, reaching hundreds of thousands of vulnerable
people every year since 2009.
Through its participation in the Better World Fund Event during the Cannes Film
Festival, all funds raised will be destined to the construction of a new foster
home in Fianarantsoa, in the South of Madagascar. Here, thousands of children
are affected by malnutrition due to the ongoing famine and drought conditions,
exacerbated by the increasing impact of climate change.
The AMAZÔNIA FUND ALLIANCE Program is born of an alliance uniting
BFUCA the UNESCO Brazilian Federation of clubs & associations and the
AMAZÔNIA FUND CLUB to finance the projects of some of the most important
Brazilian Non-profit organizations to support more than 300 indigenous tribes.
Current efforts to ensure water security only recycle reuse and attempt to purify
what little water we have left. This is why the Beyond Water Solution is the most
adapted solution to help resolve this emergency in the Amazon Rainforest
We gratefully thank our partners for this Cannes 2023 Edition
314 Cannes,
Joanna Plafsky,
Maslina Resort,
Studio Mao,
Squair,
Clinique La Prairie,
SDB New Delhi,
LUXURY International Magazine,
Filmfestivals.com,
Chic Icon,
the University Paris Saclay,
Paris-Saclay University Foundation,
OCF,
Jazz Magazine,
Responsible Jewelry Council,
Ministry of National Education,
Preschool and Sports of Morocco,
Herflix
Luxury Limited Edition,
Jazzbook Records,
We Do Sync,
Whet Foundation,
Doctor’s Natural,
Kamal Sagar / Total Environment.,
Luxury Investment Magazine,
Rinascimento Magazine,
Celebre Magazine,
Circle X – The Green Trillion Club,
the Academia for a Better World,
Fab UK Magazine,
United Studio,
Breaking-News-Arabia.com,
Qatar-Media.tv,
Dubai-Media.tvet,
Breaking News: Saudi Arabia,
Breaking News Kingdom of Bahrain,
Opportunity Saudi,
Fashion TV
Inside US Films
www.betterworld.fund