Sat, 24 Apr 1999

Malaysia to hold HIV/AIDS short-film contest

JAKARTA (JP): Both amateur and professional filmmakers from around the world are being invited to take part in an international short-film competition on HIV/AIDS organized by the Malaysian Video Awards.

The contest is being held in conjunction with the fifth International Congress on AIDS in the Asia-Pacific (ICAAP), scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur in October.

The competition is expected to foster a better understanding and a higher degree of awareness of HIV/AIDS and the issues surrounding the syndrome and its impact on society.

The competition also is intended to educate people in order to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The best film entry in the amateur category will win a cash prize of M$1,500 plus a trophy. Also in the amateur category, two films will be awarded special mentions, which will be accompanied by a M$500 prize. In the professional category, the winner will receive a cash prize of M$2,000 and a trophy. All prizes are provided by ICAAP.

Apart from the short-film competition, the ASEAN Video Awards is open to professionals from all ASEAN countries.

According to a statement made available to The Jakarta Post by the Malaysian Video Awards Council, the ASEAN Video Awards was first introduced in 1996 at the second Malaysian Video Awards and has since earned acclaim for being the only awards in the region to recognize and reward professional filmmakers for their work.

Since its inception, the ASEAN Video Awards has attracted an overwhelming response from Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

The fourth Malaysian Video Awards festival will kick off on May 26 with two days of seminars by top international and ASEAN filmmakers. The highlight of the three-day event will be an awards ceremony on May 28, which will be held at the new National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur.

Entries for both competitions must be submitted to the awards council by May 7, 1999.

Entry forms are available at http://www.mva.com.my or from the awards council at 47 Medan Setia 1, Bukit Damansara 50490, Kuala Lumpur. For further information, please contact Ms. Norheani Ghani of the Malaysian Video Awards Council at 603-2547011, or e- mail her at secretariat@mva.com.my. (ste)