Malawi has submitted a total of 26 entries in this year’s Focus on Ability Short Film Festival leading the entries on international scene.
Based in Australia, this year’s Focus on Ability Short Film Festival has received 118 international entries from 20 different countries.
“Malawi has made more submissions representing 22 percent,” Focus on Ability Society (Foas) Executive Director MacDonald Nyirenda said on Thursday.
Last year Malawi entered the festival with 31 entries with one film making it in the top five.
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This year’s festival boasts an impressive prize pool of over $100,000AUD, recognising excellence in short films and documentaries.
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The awards up for grabs at international level include Judges Choice – Official Selection Short Film Winner, Judges Choice – Official Selection Documentary Winner, Most International Online Votes Winner with all the three categories pocketing $5,000 AUD cash prize each as well as other additions.
“We encourage our local community and supporters to cast their votes and help films from Malawi secure this incredible opportunity. They can vote through http://www. focusonability.com.au/. As a token of appreciation, voters will also be entered into a draw for a chance to win $250 AUD,” he said.
Meanwhile, voting in this year’s Focus on Ability Short Film Festival on the local scene opened on Tuesday and will close on August 5.
Focus on Ability Short Film Festival is spearheaded by Foas in collaboration with Nova Employment.
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Nyirenda said that the festival has made strides since its inception and that this year they are celebrating 16 years at international level and eight years on the local scene.
“This festival is designed to encourage filmmakers to focus on the abilities of people with disability. It is all about raising awareness of abilities and achievements of people with disability,” Nyirenda said.
Apart from competing at international, films from Malawi also a chance of grabbing local prizes with two top films set to walk away with US$ 500 each and two best actors (people with disability) will go home with US$ 250 each.
Last year some of the winning films included Kulumala Sikulephera by Sellina Dumbula and The Last Stone by Lester Banda.
The actors (people with disability) that did well last year were Smart Vinti in the movie The Smart Artist and Tapiwa Kamanga in the film Ndizotheka.
