Elections Commission to hold short film competition
To create awareness on voting rights, free & fair elections and democracy
The Elections Commission will hold two short film competitions later this year to create a better awareness on voting rights, democracy and free and fair elections, Chairman of the Elections Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya said yesterday.
Mr. Deshapriya told the media that universal franchise and other multiple rights, democracy and free and fair elections could be ensured only through a better knowledge among all citizens and in particular among the young generation and added the people were of the view in the good old days that Elections Department’s only responsibility were to hold elections and prepare the voters’ list annually. ‘The Elections Commission has more work that would strengthen the rights of people, democracy and the concept of good governance,’ Mr. Deshapriya quipped.
‘We are in the process of organizing two short film festivals in order to create a social discourse on democracy entitled ‘Paura’ (stories of Democracy) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Department of Mass Media of the University of Kelaniya, to create awareness among the general public on Sovereignty and Universal Franchise,” he said.
Short films could be produced in all three languages. Duration of the short film should not exceed 5 minutes. It should be in HD format aspect ratio 16:9 as well as video on MP4 ( DVD Data Format). Competitors must agree to permit the use of selected short films for future activities of the Elections Commission.
For the open category, Rs. 125,000 will be awarded for the short film coming first and Rs. 100,000 and 75,000 respectively for second and third places.
For the School category, Rs. 50,000, Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 20,000 will be awarded for the first, second and third places.
Director General, Information Nalaka Kaluwewa also addressed the news briefing.