Camera Sika, Road to COP26 climate change films by young people awarded

KATHMANDU: The British Council and Film Development Board, Nepal with support from Into Films UK, UNICEF Nepal, Wildlife Conservation Nepal and International Youth Media Summit organised a film award ceremony as part of Camera Sika programme in Kathmandu, on November 1. The ceremony held at the Film Development Board office, Chabahil aimed to recognise young filmmakers who are using films to talk about the global challenge of climate change. To highlight young people’s voices in climate change, a film competition was organised by Camera Sika, a partnership project instigated by the British Council with Into Films UK and endorsed by Film Development Board, from May to July 2021. More than 50 original short films were received from across Nepal, of which 15 titles were shortlisted for public voting. After two weeks of voting, five winners were chosen. Winning titles were set to be presented to international audiences at the UNFCCC COP26 conference in Glasgow, Scotland. Winning films recognised were ‘Lonely steps of a farmer’ by Motherland English Boarding school, Arghakhanchi. The film bagged the Most Liked Film title. Similarly, ‘Say no to plastics’ by Samata School bagged Audience impact award while ‘Meager Future’ film by Aparajita won Best produced film title. Likewise, ‘Climate change in the Himalayas’, a film by Crystal Mountain School, Dho Tarap Valley won the Climate change award while Ananya Khadka’s film ‘I am Hanumante’ bagged the Award for original approach title. Alongside this opportunity, Camera Sika also called for proposals from under 18 filmmakers in August 2021. A panel of jurors selected 10 young filmmakers to receive grants of Rs 150,000 each, to make short films on climate change. Through these two efforts, 15 new films on climate change will be screened through an event on International Children’s Day, on November 20. [caption id="attachment_16289" align="alignnone" width="800"] Participants display Certificates of appreciation presented to the films that made it to the 15 films shortlist during an event organised at Film Development Board office in Chabahil, Kathmandu. Photo: British Council/Film Development Board[/caption] Film Development Board recognised the winning films and grant awardees of Camera Sika at a ceremony hosted in the Board office in Chabahil on November 1. Winning films were scheduled to be screened for the press while discussion programmes were scheduled to review the role of film in youth empowerment, education, and issues like climate change. Commenting on the need to provide capacity and platform to young people and youth to talk about global issues like climate change, Country Director of the British Council in Nepal said, ‘The young people and the youth are the future and we should put effort into making sure that they have the platform and are equipped with the skills to talk about important issues including climate change. The Camera Sika programme is impactful in that it employs the power of art to help young people to talk about topics that concern them. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are at the heart of the work that the British Council does, and we are proud to be able to help young people from all over Nepal make these powerful films.’ ‘Film Development Board has been actively working with the Government of Nepal to institute a film curriculum for students and encourage youth in the sector through scholarships and other initiatives. Meanwhile, Dayaram Dahal, Chairperson of the Film Development Board, said, “We firmly believe that the next generation of filmmakers need to be supported with additional resources so that they are nurtured as effective storytellers. Through the Camera Sika programme, British Council and Into Films have added great value to our work supporting young people to take up the film as a tool for self-expression, social causes, and professional development. The fact that films made by students in Nepal are being featured at the UNFCCC’s COP26 event is a testament to the impact of this programme and its goals.” Camara Chica (Camera Sika in Nepal) is a British Council filmmaking project which provides young people with opportunities to discover and develop creative and technical skills through filmmaking. The project aims to develop the knowledge of educators, equipping them with the skills needed to teach digital filmmaking to young people; and to introduce young people to filmmaking and visual storytelling. The Camara Chica programme in Nepal is dubbed Camara Sika (translating to Learn Camera). In 2021, Camera Sika work, in collaboration with Road to COP26 has focused on films focused on climate change. The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Shortlist films Certificates of appreciation were given to 10 other films that made it to the 15 films shortlist:

1. Unrevealed Secret of the Environment
2. Eco-friendly leafy plates and bowls
3. Kitchen Waste Management
4. An Ignored Reality
5. The environment and our impact on it
6. Our Earth Our Home
7. RIVER; Dumping place or a Resource of life
8. Climate Change In Nepal, Time is Running Out
9. आज नगरे कहिले गर्ने? हामीले नगरे कसले गर्ने ( If not now, when? If not us, who? )
10. Environmental pollution, turning heaven into hell

Mentors Following 13 filmmakers who have mentored young people in Nepal as part of Camera Sika since 2019 were awarded Certificates of appreciation:

1. Manoj Bohara
2. Shrijana Shrestha
3. Pradhanya Yonzon
4. Robic Upadhayay
5. Mahesh shrestha
6. Prasna Dongol
7. Sudin Sundar Bajracharya
8. Bhagwati Nepali
9. Devaki Bist
10. Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka
11. Kishore Acharya
12. Patrika Ghimire
13. Manindra Singh Danuwar

 30 days challenge grantees More than 70 film ideas and pitches were received through the 30 Days Challenge: Films on Climate Change call. The idea is for young people to take up the challenge to make short films that address climate change. 10 filmmakers have been selected to make films which are due to be released this year alongside the programming of COP26 in Glasgow, was also granted award certificates from Shahida MacDougall, British Council.

1. Annapurna Deokota
2. Neebedita Adhikari
3. Republica Gautam
4. Sampada Sapkota
5. Bidhata Pathak
6. Dikshyanta Poudel
7. Diwash KC
8. Shreeyan Rajbhandari
9. Samrat Dhungana
10. Titikshya Dhakal

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