INSPIRING GLOBAL AUDIENCES TO CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE
2020 chaos and hope
Abramorama and ACE91 present 2020 Chaos and Hope, a feature documentary that brings together a diverse group of individuals and renowned experts including frontline workers, everyday citizens, educators, activists, historians, scientists, and politicians, as they reflect on the year 2020. The film brings us face-to-face with the dramatic and emotional moments of the year – COVID-19, racial strife, political unrest, truth under fire, and increased economic disparity all gathered into the perfect storm. 2020 Chaos and Hope focuses on events in the United States because what happens in America affects the world.
Where do we go from here? It’s up to us to decide.
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GLOBAL SPONSOR OF THE
HOPE AWARD
Presented in 2023 at SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST® and 76th ANNUAL CANNES FILM FESTIVAL
The HOPE AWARD encourages and recognizes transformational changemakers around the world. It shines a light on individuals who use various forms of media to better the human condition. Whether through books, films, or new media, awardees enlighten, inspire, and bring hope to others through engaging storytelling, an optimistic spirit, and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place.
Official Sponsor SXSW 2023 Documentary Feature Competition
ACE91 sponsored the impactful documentary platform at the festival for filmmakers to bring transformative understanding and encourage sustainable impact through storytelling.
Presentation at 76th Annual Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, May 2023
Pictured: Bianca Stigter, Hope Filmmaker Award Recipient; Milutin Gatsby, Hope Visionary Award Recipient; and Sahra Mani, Hope Filmmaker Award Recipient; Ceci Chan, Founder of ACE91; Nancy Gibbs, Harvard Kennedy School; Steve McQueen, director
meet the team
ceci chan – Founder | Producer | WRITER
Ceci Chan founded content and media company ACE91 with a mission to create film and TV assets that inspire global audiences to increase positive change. She invests in content creation/distribution and technological innovation. She is a significant investor in Dalpha Tech, an IoT platform that focuses on using smart-living technologies to reduce environmental impact and increase disposable income. She is a Partner and Managing Director for Greater China at Dasym, an independent, research-driven investment company with a strong presence in telecoms, media, and technology (TMT). Dasym leadership supported the creation of internationally acclaimed IPs and has invested over €30 billion in the global TMT space. With Dasym, Ms. Chan leads the creation of a documentary based on Prof. Peter Frankopan’s critically acclaimed international best-seller, The Silk Roads.
Ms. Chan is a member of the Leadership Council at Facing History and Ourselves, an organization she has supported for over 25 years. She is Vice Chair on the Dean’s Council of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Additionally, she is a member of the Executive Committee of USC Shoah Foundation, which was founded by Steven Spielberg more than 28 years ago. Ms. Chan spearheaded USC Shoah Foundation’s Nanjing Project. She executive produced Liberation Heroes: The Last Eyewitnesses, The Girl and The Picture, and Two Sides of Survival, award-winning films that aim to reduce racism, hatred, and violence, collaborations with USC Shoah Foundation. She supports prison reform efforts as a part of her drive to increase civil and voting rights. Ms. Chan is committed to supporting transformative education and sustainable positive changes. She believes in Tikkun Olam – healing the world.
JUNE BEALLOR – PRODUCER | DIRECTOR
June Beallor is an award-winning filmmaker whose documentaries have garnered an Oscar®, multiple Emmys®, the prestigious Peabody Award, and the Edward R. Murrow-Excellence in Journalism Award, among others. Beallor began her career in New York at ABC News' longform documentary unit Closeup, was subsequently at The Walt Disney Company in Los Angeles on numerous features, at Warner Bros. as a Production Executive on the critically acclaimed China Beach, and at DreamWorks with an overall feature producing deal. She is also an executive consultant, specializing in developing synergies between the entertainment community and the nonprofit world.
Beallor was a primary architect working with Steven Spielberg to establish and run the Shoah Foundation. As a Founding Executive Director, Beallor spearheaded the collection of over 50,000 genocide survivor, witness, and liberator testimonies around the globe. Beallor also established and produced Spielberg’s Ambassadors for Humanity live events to benefit USC Shoah Foundation for nearly two-decades, working with world-renowned leaders and artists.
Beallor produced and directed segments for the Emmys® and Oscars® for more than a decade, and was Director and Senior Producer of the film unit for the Democratic National Convention (twice in one decade). Beallor continues to serve USC Shoah Foundation as a Senior Advisor and continues to lead June Beallor Productions. Beallor is a Founding Member of the Documentary Committee at the Directors Guild of America, and a member of both the Producers Guild of America, and the Television Academy of Arts & Sciences, having served numerous terms on the Producers’ Executive Committee.
GIDEON SALZMAN-GUBBAY – cHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | production executive
As COO of ACE91, Gideon works closely with Founder Ceci Chan on all aspects of the business, from for-profit ventures to charitable endeavors. ACE91 is a content creation company developing films and TV assets that inspire global audiences to increase positive change. In addition to content, ACE91 invests in smart-living technologies to reduce environmental impact and increase disposable income.
As Production Executive, Gideon works on ACE91's global media projects, including: 2020 Chaos and Hope (2023); The Silk Roads, based on Prof. Peter Frankopan’s critically acclaimed international best-seller; support of the digital remastering of The Last Days, an Oscar-winning documentary executive produced by Steven Spielberg that traces the compelling experiences of five Hungarian Holocaust survivors during the final days of World War II, and is now available on Netflix.
Like ACE91 Founder Ceci Chan, Gideon is committed to “Do Well, Do Good,” a philosophy that focuses on making investments to improve our living environment. He contributed to Liberation Heroes: The Last Eyewitnesses, The Girl and The Picture, and Two Sides of Survival, award-winning films that aim to reduce racism, hatred, and violence, collaborations with USC Shoah Foundation.
Gideon previously taught English at Sun Yat Sen University in Guangzhou, China. He speaks Mandarin (dialect) and reads Chinese (characters). Gideon was born and raised in New York City. His paternal ancestors migrated from the Middle East to Bengal in the early 19th century, where they helped to establish one of India’s most vibrant Jewish communities.
JIM DOBSON – PUBLIC RELATIONS
Jim Dobson has been an award-winning veteran entertainment publicist for over 45 years, implementing campaigns for films in both production and release as well as personally representing some of the most famous celebrities in Hollywood. His unique ability to discover and launch new talent and filmmakers has led to an impressive roster of clients which have included such well-known actors as; George Clooney, Kirstie Alley, Robert Downey Jr, David Duchovny, Dean Stockwell, Robert Mitchum, Patrick Dempsey, Carol Burnett, Sarah Jessica Parker and award-winning filmmakers Andrew Haigh, Michael Almereyda, Jeff Malmberg, Cherien Dabis, Denis Villeneuve, Xavier Dolan, and many others.
His extensive credits have included countless international film festival campaigns including the winning films at every major film festival in the country; “Circumstance” (Sundance Winner), “Valley of Saints” (Sundance Winner), “Middle of Nowhere” (Sundance Winner), “Amreeka” (Cannes winner), “Young and Wild” (Sundance Winner), “Grown Up Movie Star” (Sundance Winner), “Lasting” (Sundance winner), “Natural Selection” (SxSW Winner), “Weekend” (SxSW Winner), “She’s Lost Control” (Berlin Film Festival winner), “That Evening Sun” (SxSW Winner), “Citadel” (SxSW Winner), “Bay of All Saints” (SxSW Winner), “Before I Disappear” (SxSW winner), “Incendies” (Oscar Nomination), “The Topp Twins” (Toronto Film Festival Winner), “Marwencol” (SxSW Winner), “Assholes” (SxSW winner), “Beasts Clawing at Straws” (Rotterdam winner), “Experimenter” (Sundance winner), “This is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection” (Sundance winner), and many others.
In addition to his award-winning festival films, he has also launched successful theatrical, VOD and award campaigns for numerous feature films and documentaries including the wide theatrical release for “Hearts Beat Loud”. Dobson also works as a unit publicist including the recent Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury winning film “Clemency,” (Oscar nominated with Alfre Woodard.)
He has launched the careers of numerous award winning directors such as Ava DuVernay for her Sundance winning film “Middle of Nowhere,” Jeremiah Mosese for his Sundance winning film “This is Not a Burial: It’s Resurrection,” Cherien Dabis for her Independent Spirit Award winning film “Amreeka”, Maryam Keshavarz for her Sundance winning film “Circumstance,” Denis Villeneuve for his Oscar nominated “Incendies” and many others. He is most proud of representing legendary actor Robert Duvall with numerous awards including his Oscar nominated performance in “The Judge.”
Dobson has orchestrated some of the most acclaimed awards campaigns including the 2022 Oscar nominated Documentary short “Audible,” and countless others with winning clients at the Golden Globe Awards, Critics Choice Awards, and Independent Spirit Awards.
Corporate clients past and present include; Gunpowder & Sky, Thunderbird Pictures, Quiver Distribution, Pantelion Films, Gravitas Ventures, eOne Films, IFC, Sony, Warner Brothers, Showtime, The Orchard, Variety, and many others. Dobson is also a longtime Senior writer for Forbes Magazine covering the world’s most amazing people, places, and things.