SIMA is a Global Impact Media Institute
A global curator of high-integrity documentary storytelling, operating at the intersection of film, education, and civic engagement across 140+ countries.
PROGRAMS
For over a decade, we have built a global system to discover, elevate, and position documentary films of cultural and civic relevance—connecting them to classrooms, communities, and institutions worldwide, and enabling purpose-driven creators.
GLOBAL AWARDS
SIMA AWARDS
The annual SIMA Awards define a global curatorial standard for documentary film and impact media, identifying work that stands apart in its artistry, integrity, and consequence.
COMMUNITY CINEMA
CINEMA ACROSS BORDERS
A fellowship and screening program connecting curated films to grassroots leaders and communities across the Global South, turning screenings into lasting civic infrastructure.
GLOBAL LEARNING
SIMA ACADEMY
An award-winning learning platform integrating documentary film into schools, universities, and leadership programs, equipping 160,000+ learners with the context to engage with global realities.
CREATOR SUPPORT
FISCAL SPONSORSHIP
Nonprofit infrastructure enabling filmmakers and cultural producers to finance, produce, and launch purpose-driven work across media formats, while retaining full creative control.
2026 WINNERS ANNOUNCED
CELEBRATING GLOBAL IMPACT CINEMA OF EXCELLENCE
The winners of the 14th Annual Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA) center authentic global narratives rooted in lived experience. Through intimate and unflinching portraits of humanity, these works demonstrate that with nonfiction storytelling of this caliber, impact isn’t aspirational—it’s inevitable. Congratulations to the filmmakers and creators.
IN OTHER NEWS
FROM ACROSS THE SIMAVERSE
What STUDENTS DO AFTER THE CREDITS ROLL
A FIELD REPORT:
How SIMA Academy is turning documentary film into a global engine for youth civic action.
FILMS IN COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE
The latest edition of CINEMA ACROSS BORDERS is screening in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, Honduras, Guatemala, and Serbia.
The Discernment Protocol
In a media landscape shaped by algorithms, the most important skill is no longer access to information — it is the ability to interpret it well.
FISCAL SPONSORSHIP
MAKE WORK THAT MATTERS
Join a global network of filmmakers, artists, and creative producers raising funds across documentary, narrative, arts, and emerging media.
IMPACT
Each year, our programs engage filmmakers, educators, students, and communities across 140+ countries — reaching over 5 million viewers worldwide. Through fiscal sponsorship, we support projects in 50+ countries, enabling over 100 creators to bring their work to life.
