Film Marks Five Years of Global Media Literacy Impact

, /PRNewswire/ – Trust Me, the multi-award-winning feature documentary produced by the Getting Better Foundation and directed by Oscar-nominated Roko Belic, released five years ago, but is finding renewed popularity given the flood of misinformation in social media and even in traditional media. The film, which debuted in 2020 at the U.S. State Department’s Global Conference on Media Literacy, has become a long-standing tool in the fight against misinformation, particularly in educational and legislative circles.

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The documentary and its expert analysis shed light on human tendencies toward negativity and various biases—gender, racial, and political—which contribute to seemingly immovable confirmation biases. It educates viewers on how profit-driven motives can manipulate vulnerabilities, often at the expense of respectable media outlets’ credibility. The primary audiences for Trust Me have been educational, parental, and government legislators. The News Literacy Project’s study guides for Trust Me were written specifically for K-12, universities and community use and are available at TrustMeDocumentary.com.

Trust Me features experts weighing in on case histories involving the sharing of misinformation, the challenges of deep fakes, foreign interference, and the issues created by social media addiction and overprotective parenting. In addition to raising awareness, the film offers actionable solutions for media-literacy-related problems, such as lateral reading, a simple technique used to verify information’s truthfulness.

During its initial release, Trust Me quickly garnered numerous "Best Documentary" awards at renowned film festivals. Getting Better Foundation’s founder and executive director of the film, Joe Phelps, stated, "The two awards I’m most proud of are the Walter Cronkite Award for Journalism Excellence, presented at the National Press Club in Washington D.C., and UNESCO’s media information award. These honors underscore the film’s vital message."

Shot across diverse locations including New Zealand, India, and various sites in North America, the documentary starkly illustrates the problems stemming from the public’s inability to properly consume and share media. The case histories were commented on by renowned experts in psychology, journalism, and media literacy like Harvard’s Steven Pinker, Stanford’s Sam Wineburg, Politico’s Aaron Sharockman and Pulitzer Prize winner, Jeffrey Gettleman.

Trust Me and its educational programs have proven to be lasting resources, holding the title of New Day Film’s highest selling film for four consecutive years and remaining a best-seller for colleges and high schools via Kanopy. The film was recently launched in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom via ClickView. Rosemary Smith, the foundation’s managing director and impact producer for the film, said, "Its global reach is furthered by screenings at U.S. embassies and cities in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Canada, and South America, where we have conducted workshops guiding teachers on integrating media literacy into their curriculums."

The Getting Better Foundation continues its mission with new initiatives, including its newsletter, "Reality Check," and projects aimed at audiences who do not typically watch documentaries.

For more information: [email protected], +1 989-370-2777

**Media Contact: **Rosemary Smith +1 989-370-2777 [email protected]

SOURCE The Getting Better Foundation