UN Calls for Entries for Documentary Film Festival

UN Calls for Entries by Mid-December for Its Second Documentary Film Festival

New York, Nov 21 2005 5:00PM

Documentary film-makers who have recorded how the United Nations agencies are helping countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially eliminating extreme poverty and hunger, are being invited to submit entries for the second annual United Nations festival in New York next April.

The films will "afford those in the trenches – United Nations workers, community leaders, and the people they serve – the opportunity to share their stories of adversity and triumph," the UN Department of Public Information (DPI), the Media Communications Association-International's New York chapter (MCA-I NY) and the New School said in a release/statement.

For the first time, work by non-UN filmmakers will be included in the "Stories from the Field" festival, which coincides with the 60th anniversary of the world body's founding, they said, adding that the deadline for entries is 16 December.

The MDGs are aimed at eradicating a host of social ills and also include providing universal primary education, empowering women, improving maternal health, reducing child mortality, combating such diseases as HIV/AIDS and malaria, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development.

"Films produced by the United Nations offices and agencies may reflect one or more of the eight goals. Those produced by outside filmmakers will speak to the first: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger," the trio said.

Panel discussions at the Festival will feature the filmmakers, and invited representatives from the UN, the New School and MCA-I NY, they said.

Awards at the 22 and 23 April festival will be presented for the best UN Feature lasting 15 minutes or more, the best Short under 15 minutes, the best UN public service announcement (PSA), the best Public Short of less than 45 minutes and the Audience Choice Award for Best (UN or Public) Film.

The partners added that for 2007 non-UN film-makers should focus on the second MDG: achieving universal primary education.

ENDS

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