Alana DeJoseph’s (Mali) film A TOWERING TASK wins regional Emmy Award
Congratulations! A well deserved award! My husband and I served from 1962-64 in Ecuador #1 under JFK and later were…
Alana DeJoseph (Mali 1992–94)
Alana DeJoseph is a documentary filmmaker who directed A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps in 2019. The documentary premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and is available to stream on PBS.
DeJoseph served in Mali from 1992–1994 and has also worked on other documentaries, including The Greatest Good: A Forest Service Centennial Film and Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land.
A Towering Task explores the history of the Peace Corps. The documentary features interviews with Harry Belafonte, Annette Bening, Jimmy Carter, and Chris Dodd, among others.
Last night, July 20, 2024, her film A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps won the regional Emmy for best historical documentary!
The Heartland Emmy Awards Winners
An incredible team of filmmakers (special shout-out to screenwriter Shana Kelly and editor Brian De Herrera-Schnering), 100s of volunteers, the most amazing Peace Corps community of PCVs, host country nationals, RPCVs, staff, and former staff, scholars, and journalists were all essential to tell this important story at a time when global issues will require global cooperation and understanding.
Since its premiere in 2019 at the Kennedy Center, the film has been broadcast over 1000 times and screened at universities, museums, conferences, reunions, libraries, and many more venues 100s of times. Director Alana DeJoseph has spoken about global citizenship and the Peace Corps at universities and high schools across the country.
The film continues to run on PBS stations throughout the U.S. (call your station to let them know you would like to view it on the local station, if you don’t see it in their schedule).
It is also available through Amazon Video-on-Demand
and on DVD: https://a.co/d/b6ve7SR
Screenwriter Shana Kelly says: “The work was its own reward, but what a bonus to receive this shiny trophy.” Director Alana DeJoseph wholeheartedly agrees. “No better story to tell during these times!
Thank you, Heartland Emmy’s!”
Congratulations to Alana and her team.
Way to go Atana! Congratulation on an arward well deserved for your historic documentary.
On a personal note, as a RPCV approaching 86 years of age and a member of the first Peace Corps Volunteers to Malaysia, I am so pleased you made a Towering Task because Peace Corps had defined my life.
Congratulations, Alana, and to those who worked on and contributed to the great film!
That’s great news and a well-deserved recognition. Congratulations, Alana!
Congratulations! A well deserved award! My husband and I served from 1962-64 in Ecuador #1 under JFK and later were appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve as country Co-Directors
In Chile. Both experiences were some of the most wonderful intercultural learning of our lives. Also authored and published a book “The Barrios of Manta”
about this life.
Congratulations! A well deserved award! My husband and I served from 1962-64 in Ecuador #1 under JFK and later were appointed by President Jimmy Carter to serve as country Co-Directors
In Chile. Both experiences were some of the most wonderful intercultural learning of our lives. Also authored and published a book “The Barrios of Manta”
about this life.