In what is a massive cultural inclined competition, Netflix and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has announced a short-film competition channeled to discovering “Africa’s next generation of filmmakers.”
The theme of the competition is “African Folktales, Reimagined.” It’s an opportunity for new voices and emerging filmmakers in sub-Saharan Africa to showcase their talent to the world.
“We want to find the bravest, wittiest and most surprising retellings of some of Africa’s most loved folktales and share them with entertainment fans around the world in over 190 countries,” Netflix and UNESCO said in a statement.
“Africa has a rich storytelling heritage and a wealth of folktales that have been passed down for generations,” added Ben Amadasun, Netflix’s director of content in Africa. “When you marry these very local stories with Africa’s emerging talent, there’s no limit to fresh new stories to connect people with African cultures and bring the world that much closer to each other.”
The “African Folktales, Reimagined” competition will begin on November 14. The shortlisted winners will undergo training from industry professionals and provided with a $75,000 production budget to create their short film, as well as $25,000 in prize money.
In 2022, the six winning films will premiere on Netflix as an “Anthology of African folktales.”
The collaboration between Netflix and UNESCO was birth from the fact that Netflix weighs Africa as its next big untapped market, while UNESCO is in tandem with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, a series of targets established by the United Nations that aim to end global poverty in all its forms by the end of this decade.
“By helping African talent access the global market and by guaranteeing dignified working conditions, the contest can help create sustainable employment and encourage economic growth,” UNESCO said.
How To Participate
In no more than 500 words, interested applicants have to submit a short synopsis of their concept, as well as links to a recent CV and a portfolio/evidence of any past audiovisual work they have produced.
Click https://www.netflix-growcreative.com/unesco/ to begin your application.
Watch the promotion video for the competition below.
