Last night, the FilmLife Project Film Festival was launched in Western Sydney, giving young and emerging filmmakers an opportunity to use creativity to raise awareness about organ and tissue donation in Australia and in doing so, save lives.
The FilmLife Project provides an opportunity for new and budding filmmakers to interpret this emotionally-charged issue in new and creative ways with a five minute film around ‘asking and knowing your loved ones’ wishes’.
Kerrie Noonan, Director of FilmLife said, “It is vitally important that Australian youth – a wealth of creative talent – are given a voice to discuss organ and tissue donation and an opportunity to interpret the theme for FilmLife festival in their own ways. I look forward to meeting our next generation of film makers and watching them turn their collective minds to this important issue.”
Those young and emerging filmmakers who register their interest for FilmLife will be brought to the Information + Cultural Exchange (ICE) in Western Sydney on 21, 22 and 28 January for a specially-curated, FREE workshop to talk with people who have been impacted by organ or tissue donation, as well as learn essential film making skills taught by experts, valued at $3,000 per person.
Lisa Torrance, Executive Director of ICE says, “A good film can change someone’s life, but you don’t often get a chance to potentially save lives by making a film. By raising awareness about the issue of organ and tissue donation, that’s what your submission to the FilmLife Project has the potential to do.”
The deadline for all film submissions is midnight on February 13, 2012. Winners will be announced at the FilmLife Festival Official Screening on February 18 and following a public Facebook vote, the People’s Choice Award will be announced on Friday 24 February.
Awards will be given for the Best Film, Best Interpretation of the Theme and the People’s Choice award, with the overall winner taking home a state-of-the-art video camera and access to an editing suite for a future film, with a total prize package worth $10,000.
All young and emerging Australian film makers aged 16 to 35 wanting to explore this topic are encouraged register at http://filmlifeproject.com.au and connect up with FilmLife on Facebook for the latest news as well as behind-the-scenes updates.
FilmLife is an initiative to help bring greater youth engagement and awareness to DonateLife Week, Australia’s national awareness week to promote organ and tissue donation, taking place in 2012 from 19-26 February. The FilmLife Project has been funded by the Organ and Tissue Authority.