Launch of the Democracy Video Challenge

Colombo, October 09, 2008: The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce the “Democracy is…” video competition.  Maldivians, age 18 and over, are invited to submit self-made videos less than three minutes in length that complete the phrase “Democracy is…”  In making the videos, you may use any story telling style including, fiction, documentary, comedy, music video or animation. The Embassy and a committee of local filmmakers and film aficionados will select the top three films from the Maldives.  These films will then be submitted for a worldwide competition.  An independent jury in the United States will choose the global semifinalists out of all entrees it receives.  Those global semifinalists will then have their submissions placed on YouTube where the general public can vote for the winning films.   The filmmakers who win the worldwide competition will receive an all-expense paid trip to the United States that includes screenings of their videos in New York, Hollywood and Washington, meetings with film directors, public officials and democracy advocates, and time on film and TV sets. The deadline for submission is December 15th.  Further information and guidelines about the contest can be found at www.videochallenge.america.gov.

Partners include: the Center for International Private Enterprise, the Directors Guild of America, the International Republican Institute, the International Youth Foundation, Motion Picture Association of America, NBC Universal, National Democratic Institution, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, TakingITGlobal, and the U.S. Department of State. YouTube is providing the video platform.

The videos should be submitted to:  Video Challenge; American Center; 44, Galle Road; Colombo 3; Sri Lanka