HHMI Tangled Bank Studios’ Latest Film, INVENTING TOMORROW, to Screen at the Hot Docs Film Festival Following its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival

CHEVY CHASE, MD (April 27, 2018) — HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, the award winning film production unit of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, in association with Fishbowl Films, Motto Pictures, 19340 Productions, Shark Island Institute and Glassbreaker Films is pleased to announce that INVENTING TOMORROW will screen at Toronto’s Hot Docs Festival, North America’s largest documentary festival. Screenings will take place: Sunday, April 29, at 9:15pm Monday, April 30 at 12:45pm Saturday, May 5 at 8:30pm Sunday, May 6 at 12:30pm At a time when environmental degradation and climate change are capturing the world’s attention, INVENTING TOMORROW tells the story of teenage innovators from around the world who are creating cutting edge solutions to confront the world’s environmental threats. Directed by Laura Nix, with a runtime of 105 minutes, the film highlights the challenges and accomplishments of six student scientists as they conduct their science, prepare their projects for competition, and present them to the judges at the Intel International Science and Engineering Festival (ISEF), a program of the Society for Science & the Public. Considered the Olympics of high school science fairs, ISEF is the largest gathering of high school scientists in the world.

The students featured in INVENTING TOMORROW hail from Indonesia, Hawaii, India and Mexico. They tackle some of the most complex environmental issues facing humanity today—from water monitoring and filtration to industrial pollution—all right in their own backyards. Each student prepares original scientific research to defend at ISEF. Framed against the backdrop of the severe environmental threats we now face, the audience gets a global view of the planetary crisis, through the eyes of the generation that is being called upon to prevent it. “I wanted to create an immersive, emotional and cinematic experience about what it would be like to be a teenager today; specifically, a teen who is smart, observant and has some ideas about how he or she might address these extreme problems,” says Director Laura Nix. Critics throughout the country are responding positively to the film. Kenneth Turan from the LA Times called it, “inspirational and invigorating.” And Scott Beggs from Nerdist said, “It felt like this is the cavalry that’s come to save us from ourselves. These extraordinary, driven, eco-compassionate children are cancelling the apocalypse."

INVENTING TOMORROW follows the students to Los Angeles and captures their excitement and anxiety as they visit places they’ve never seen before and interact with approximately 1,800 other student scientists from around the world competing in ISEF. When the fair ends, we follow our characters home to witness how they process their experiences. Some leave with a renewed sense of purpose and continue their project at university. Others are inspired to pursue a new direction. But as they integrate their time at ISEF into the next phase of their lives, they all realize they’re not alone. They’ve finally met other kids like themselves who believe in a shared vision of environmental stewardship and collective action.

For more information visit www.inventingtomorrowmovie.com

Facebook/Instagram: @InventingTomorrowMovie

Twitter/Snapchat: @InventingTmrw

HHMI | TANGLED BANK STUDIOS is a production company established and funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) as an extension of its longstanding science education mission. Dedicated to the creation of original science documentaries for broadcast, theatrical and digital distribution, the company’s award-winning programs address important contemporary issues and capture compelling stories of discovery across all branches of scientific inquiry. For more information, please visit www.tangledbankstudios.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. HHMI is a science philanthropy whose mission is to advance basic biomedical research and science education for the benefit of humanity. The institute is the largest private supporter of science education in the country.

FISHBOWL FILMS is a full service entertainment company, whose primary focus is on developing and producing projects for film and television. The company’s mission is to deliver the highest quality of entertainment to the marketplace in order to find each project’s maximum audience, engaging them in the fullest possible sense, whether it be a daring, thought-provoking independent feature film, a richly told one-hour television drama, a laugh out loud comedy, or a consciousness shifting documentary film. With over 30 combined years of hard work and experience in the entertainment and new media industries we believe our solid foundation of production, development, and marketing experience coupled with Fishbowl Films’ talent for discovering new voices will establish us as a powerful player in the entertainment world. MOTTO PICTURES specializes in producing and executive producing documentary features. Motto secures financing, builds distribution strategies and creatively develops films with an eye toward maximizing the position of each project in the domestic and international markets.

SHARK ISLAND INSTITUTE is a purpose-driven business based in Sydney, Australia. The Institute's activities include producing and supporting documentary films for impact, developing stories with filmmakers that need to be told, and managing and nurturing long-term impact campaigns. The Institute builds circles of influence and collaboration with a diverse cross-section of the community to achieve a more inclusive, just and healthy society.

19340 PRODUCTIONS finances, develops and produces film that combines pressing social themes with provocative story telling. We value heightened entertainment without compromising nuanced execution. Our aim is to inspire impactful change with narratives that are free from clichéd commonplace. GLASSBREAKER FILMS is an initiative launched by the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation to support women to be leaders in nonfiction filmmaking by funding films that tell great stories and inspire audiences. Through a multi-level funding strategy, Glassbreaker Films supports a filmmaker at different stages in her career. Funds are allocated for innovative nonfiction digital projects from early career filmmakers through Catalyst Grants, and production funds of documentary shorts and features are produced through our Women in Docs program. Glassbreaker Films prioritizes documentary shorts, however we do consider feature length documentaries that fit within the funding limits.

SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE & THE PUBLIC is dedicated to the achievement of young scientists in independent research and to public engagement in science. Established in 1921, Society is a nonprofit whose vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its world-class competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award- winning magazine, Science News and Science News for Students, Society for Science & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire.

For additional information contact:

Festivals & Press Inquiries:

HHMI Tangled Bank Studios: Anna Irwin, Irwina@hhmi.org, 301-215-8861

Fishbowl Films: Melanie Miller, Melanie@fishbowlfilms.com, 310-864-2091

Domestic Sales:

Submarine: Josh Braun, josh@submarine.com, 917-687-3111

Ben Braun, ben@submarine.com, 917-287-9404

Matt Burke, matt@submarine.com, 917-403-3235