Ousmane Award to be re-launched at ZIFF

ZIFF

PROF Martin Mhando.

ORGANISERS of the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) have agreed to re-launch the Sembene Ousmane Film Prize competition this year.

The award structure has been designed ‘to reward excellence’ in short film production and to encourage the production of new short films, including short documentaries.

2013 was the last and fifth time this prize was awarded to filmmakers at the festival, which is also known as the Festival of the Dhow Countries.

Festival Director, Prof Martin Mhando, told the ‘Daily News’ that they have also decided to award not just one but three films, in the event which starts from July 18 and closes on July 26.

“This is to ensure that as many filmmakers as possible are encouraged to make creative films through the Sembene Ousmane Prize,” he said.

“We at ZIFF are proud to announce that this prize, which invites Africans on the continent and those in the Diaspora, to enter their short films before the end of next month.”

It will be followed with 15 out of all the films sent being nominated to compete for the three prizes during this year’s nine days of the festival.

Each of the three winning films will be awarded 2,000 US dollars as cash prize. This is specifically earmarked to produce a new short film, which is to be ready by next year’s edition of the festival.

The scripts and a production plan for the new films will have to be submitted to the festival within four months of the award and funds will then be released.

It is the organisers’ belief that the on-going process will simultaneously acknowledge and reward filmmakers for their efforts, whilst contributing to the sustainability of the shortfilm format.

To be eligible, intended candidates must ensure that their fiction, documentary or animated films meet certain stipulated criteria. The first of these requirements is that the five to 20 minutes production must not exceed 28 minutes.

All entries must be produced, or have their first public exhibition after July 2013. They are also to be available for screening on a specific format.

Although entries can be in any language, they must have English subtitles. All films entered for the prize have to be directed by an African or a person of African descent.

The same applies for films co-directed with an African or person of African descent.

Written by IMAN MANI (Daily News)