'Global TV' bankrolls short film competition

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Get out the videocamera and start shooting! Then pack up the video and send it to Global TV, as you might end up winning a prize in short film festival being conducted by a local private television station.

Entitled Global Indie Film Festival (GIFF), the event is calling on students and the public (amateur or professional filmmakers) to participate, with an opportunity to win prizes with a total value of Rp 400 million (US$42,500).

The film must be no longer than 20 minutes, produced no later than 2004, and be in mini DV (digital video) format.

There is no registration fee. The video must be sent to the committee before April 19.

Selected films will be broadcasted and reviewed by a jury panel starting May 2. The copyright of the films will be retained by Global TV, but filmmakers will receive a screening fee ranging from Rp 2.5 million to Rp 5 million.

The station will hand out awards in categories including best film, best director, best actor and actress, best acoustics, best sound effects, best music score, best photography directing, best editing, best script, best animated film, and most popular film.

Each category winner will receive a Rp 10 million prize, except for the best film category, which will receive Rp 50 million. All of the winners will also be given the chance to make a 60-minute long feature film together.

The awards presentation will be aired live from Balai Kartini, South Jakarta, on Aug. 16.

Aside from this festival, there are also film workshops from noted filmmakers being held in Yogyakarta (April 2), Surabaya (April 9), and Jakarta (April 16).

As for the video, send it along with a complete filmmakers' curriculum vitae to GIFF Secretariat, Global TV, Wisma Indovision 17 Fl., Jl. Raya Panjang Z/III, Green Garden, West Jakarta.

For more information, call (021) 5822978/5823268 or send an e- mail to indie.filmfest@globaltv.co.id.