Pinoy film maker wins Asian Development Bank Video Prize
Posted on June 15th, 2012 under We are Pinoys!
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has awarded the grand prize to a Filipino film-maker in the ADB’s “MyView Asia-Pacific Video Contest,” now on its third year.
Adrian Sibal’s video entry, “The Rivals,” beat out more than 150 other entries in the contest, which focused on the theme ‘Energy for All/Renewable Energy.’
“Over 700 million people in the Asia-Pacific region still lack access to electricity, and Mr. Sibal eloquently addressed this issue in his winning film,” said ADB’s Principal Director, Department of External Relations, Ann Quon.
“The interest in MyView is growing each year, with entries from aspiring filmmakers across the globe. MyView provides a showcase for filmmakers to creatively promote awareness of climate change, and potential solutions.”
MyView, with prizes totaling $10,000, provides a showcase for amateur filmmakers to creatively promote awareness of important development challenges and potential solutions.
“We squeezed in a lot of ideas about the pros and cons of renewable and non-renewable energy to maximize the five-minute time limit and used humor, drawing inspiration from an episode of the cartoon series SpongeBob SquarePants, as well as the silent movie The Artist,” said Mr. Sibal.
The eminent panel of international judges included Academy Award-winning US producer Ashley Jordan; Ashvin Kumar, the youngest Indian writer and director to be nominated for an Oscar; Afghan documentary filmmaker and curator of the Kabul International Film Festival Malek Shafi’i; award-winning filmmaker and co-founder of onedotzero, Shane Walter of the UK; Yong Mun Chee of Singapore, winner of the Asian TV award for Best Documentary Series; Philippines YouTube sensation Moymoypalaboy; ADB Senior Advisor and Practice Leader (Energy), Pil-Bae Song; and Ann Quon, who chaired the judging panel.
In the MyView under 21 category, Kai Syuen Loh from Malaysia won with an entry illustrating the array of ways we use power every day, followed by Yeasin Rahman of Bangladesh in second place and Abigail Kristy Javellana, of the Philippines, third.
(Story courtesy of Edu Lopez of Manila Bulletin)