LIFE is a beautiful tapestry of stories. In each thread is a narrative of adventure and overcoming the odds, of challenges and rising up to the occasion, of joy and the pain of defeat or heartbreak, and of love and love lost. We live a life of stories. We define our stories and sometimes our stories define who and what we are. Each day is a new story in the grand narrative of life.
We tell stories to express our joys, frustration and fears. We tell stories because the recollection and narration help deepen our understanding of ourselves and what we go through. We share our stories to others in the hope that in doing so we will be understood, appreciated, and supported. We share our stories as a form of solidarity with peers who are going through the similar experiences. We tell our stories because it empowering and liberating in many ways because of so many reasons.
Perhaps the most vibrant threads in this colorful tapestry are the stories of youth and of our youth. Les Miserables’ I Dream the Dream puts it as a time of being "young and unafraid, when hope was high and life worth living, there were no ransom to be paid, no song unsung, no wine untasted". The narrative of youth are stories of self-doubt and self-discovery, of many uncertainties and coming of age, and learning the hard way many of life's valuable lessons.
Because telling the stories of the Filipino youth from their own perspective using their creative energy is empowering, the National Youth Commission (NYC) and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) launched the Cine Kabataan Short Film Competition.
The competition aims to give a platform to all aspiring young filmmakers and to provide opportunity to showcase their talents. This competition serves to encourage the youth to develop their creativity and originality in story-telling, touching on important issues of today. It is also in line with the celebration of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) which will feature the Cine Kabataan films along with feature films in all theaters nationwide on August 16-22, 2017.
Through this competition, the NYC hopes to receive films that are not just made by the youth but more importantly, are reflective of how they perceive the issues that they face today. Their unique perspective on these important generational concerns will hopefully bring more insights for the duty bearers, fellow young people, and the general public to have a better grasp and understanding of these matters and how to address them.
The competition is open to all amateur filmmakers of ages 18 to 24 years old. The short film must depict or emulate how the youth of today perceives and confronts any of the following issues: teenage pregnancy, HIV-Aids, mental health, OSY, bullying, lack of access to education, youth in conflict with law, youth in areas of conflict, peacebuilding, family values, domestic violence, abandonment, and migration.
There is power in telling stories because it sparks meaningful change.
Young people can change the world one story at a time.
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Perci Cendaña, commissioner representing Luzon
Twittter: @PerciCen