Deron Douglas, Head

of Capture 876, has emerged winner of the inaugural 2019 European Union (EU)

Jamaica Short Film competition with his entry, ‘The Tree Speaks’.

He will be travelling on an all-expense-paid trip to Germany in March to attend a short film course at the MetFilm School in Berlin.

Mr Douglas won from a field of 22 finalists, and was recognised at a ceremony, held on Wednesday (January 15), at the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) in Kingston.

Sectional prizes were presented to first-year Software Engineering student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Danielle Mullings, for best writing/storytelling in her film titled, ‘Protecting Port Royal’s Mangroves’; second-year Communications and Media student at the University of Technology (UTech), Kemanie Boothe, for best cinematography with his entry, ‘It Lives and It Breathes’; and Video Marketer, Latanya Martin, for best editing in her film, ‘The Change Starts with You’.

Special

recognition was given to Jahvar McLean as the most passionate, for his film,

‘Parish Capital’. Prizes were also presented to the other finalists.

A total of 25 amateur Jamaican film-makers submitted entries to the environmental-themed short film competition, launched in September 2019. The competition targeted Jamaican film-makers residing in the country, aged 18 to 25.

The three- to five-minute films focused on the theme ‘My Environment a heritage to be protected’.

Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister Olivia Grange, who spoke at the ceremony, lauded the European Union (EU) Delegation to Jamaica for the “significant activity, geared at providing a real opportunity for advancement to a section of our society that needs our attention and support… young people.”

She said the

initiative is an example of the continued mutually beneficial partnership

between Jamaica and the EU that brings new ideas, constructs and programmes to

bear on the social and economic development of Jamaicans.

“The objective

of this programme goes right to the heart of what my Ministry is about and what

needs to happen in Jamaica if we are going to achieve sustainable prosperity

for all our people. Kudos to the EU for this innovative and dynamic project

that has a great chance of making a substantial contribution to our country’s

development,” she said.

For her part, Head

of the EU Delegation to Jamaica, Belize, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands

and the Cayman Islands, Her Excellency Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska, said

the 22 contestants’ works are representative of most young people, not only in

Jamaica but worldwide.

“You are very

much aware and concerned about the issues that trouble us all and if given the

opportunity, you will take the lead and play your part in defence of your

community, country and the world,” she added.

The Ambassador

said the competition sought to provide an opportunity for young people to build

their capacity to take advantage of the opportunities available in the creative

industries and provide a platform for them to become advocates for

environmental protection.

The finalists

were also presented with certificates of participation, and took part in a

one-day capacity-building workshop, which included presentations from local and

overseas film experts in editing, scriptwriting and cinematography.