Short film competition up for a second run
By Ashok Kumar and Angela Low
“We have seen how film is capable of translating thoughts and emotions into a visual form, and engaging people at an effective level. We are excited to bring ciNE65 back this year, with more learning and showcase opportunities offered to film enthusiasts,” said Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) George Goh, Deputy Director for Engagement in Nexus.
After a very successful first, ciNE65 is back for a second season. Organised by Nexus, ciNE65 is a short film competition that encourages aspiring filmmakers to share personal stories about Singapore in the hopes of touching the hearts of fellow Singaporeans and those who’ve found a home in Singapore.
In an effort to reach out to more film talents, there will be two new awards up for grabs this season – “Best Animation” and “Inter-school Challenge”. On top of that, winners of the “Overall Best Film” award in the Open Category will now be granted an additional overseas trip to a regional Film Festival.
This year’s theme, “I’ll Be There For You, Singapore”, fuels filmmakers to ponder whether they’ll be there for their loved ones, come what may. We got a peek into the competition as Tariq Mansor, one of this year’s student participants, talks about his film entry, “Going Away”. It started as a project pitching school module but ended up blowing us away with a beautiful perspective on national service.
We also had the privilege to hear the past winner of the open category, Ray Pang, share a few words to the audience. “ciNE65 has broadened my perspectives and opened many doors for me,” said Pang. “Directing ‘The Team’ made me better appreciate the different cultures in Singapore and the need to embrace it.” Today, Pang’s films have won several prestigious awards and made their way abroad to film festivals in Japan and France.
It was relatable Singapore stories like “You Can Take The Boy Out of Singapore” that captured and connected to viewers like LTC Goh. Reminiscent and amusing, films brought forth by passion for the country communicate a national identity that resonated with the viewers.
“Passion is contagious,” said Pang. It is the passion for Singapore that connects the filmmakers to the audiences. And it is passion for filmmaking that success is a possibility.
Entries for the competition will be open until 12 May 2013. So, if you’ve got a passion for filmmaking or simply want to win up to $3000 and attain life-changing opportunities, it’s time to take action.
