First ever Asia Pacific Rice Film Award launched

Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP), TVE Asia Pacific (TVEAP) and
Public Media Agency (PMA) of Malaysia announce the launch of the Asia Pacific Rice Film Award 2008-2009.

This is the first ever award in the Asia Pacific region to acknowledge excellence in films on rice-related issues.

"We invite innovative film-makers from the Asia Pacific region to submit short creative television, video or cinematic films on any aspect of rice," the organisers said.

The competition is open to everyone in the eligible countries in the Asia Pacific region with no age limit. The films must be produced by a person who is a permanent resident or citizen of an eligible (Asia Pacific) country.

The thematic scope of the award is Asia's rice heritage, based on the Five Pillars of Rice Wisdom, and the threats it faces in this era of globalization.

Films may be fictional or factual, as long as they have rice in Asia as the key theme. The films may have been produced using professional video, home video, mobile phones or cinematic equipment. They may be in any of these formats or genres: 2D animation, 3D animation, songs, short drama, satire, adaptations of folk culture, or documentaries.

Entries must contain moving images for at least 90% of the total film duration – animated still photos or slides shows are not eligible. Entries need to have been produced after January 2008 and should be no longer than 10 minutes in duration.  

Entries will be accepted from 1 August 2008 to 31 January 2009. Submission is possible both online as well as by post.

The winner will receive US$ 2,000 in prize money along with a plaque and certificate. The organisers plan to announce the selection decision in mid 2009, and the award presentation will be held at an Asian city.