‘Rivalry’ gets going

The annual Barbados Visual Media Festival’s 48-hour Film Challenge got underway this past weekend with a record 16 teams competing for the coveted $4, 800 cash prize.

With a few rules and regulations in hand, teams were tasked with the challenge of scripting, filming, editing and submitting a 6-10 minute film, all within 48 hours. Only ten of the 16 teams were successful in completing the challenge.

Speaking after the cut-off time for submissions, president of the Barbados Film and Video Association Damien Pinder expressed how pleased he was with this year’s turn out. The challenge is being spearheaded by the association.

“It’s always encouraging to see young filmmakers channel their creativity and turn their passion into a physical project. This opportunity has not only given them the confidence they need to propel their careers, but now they will have a film to call their own. Content generation has always been a challenge for the industry, so this is a necessary activity in our calendar.”

Pinder, who is also a four-time consecutive champion of the competition, said that this 48-hour film challenge was just a taste of what’s to come for the Barbados Visual Media Festival which runs from October 24-27. The winner of the challenge will be announced after the films are screened on October 26th.

During the four-day festival, they will be conducting workshops, indoor and outdoor screenings, industry practitioners talkback discussions, and other activities, which will create a host of networking opportunities for all local filmmakers.

The festival will conclude with the annual Visual Media Awards ceremony on October 27, in which the best of film in Barbados, across a host of categories, will be awarded. (IMC)