UiTM students bag top prize at KL Eco Film fest
KUALA LUMPUR: A story about three good friends trapped in a conflict to obtain clean water won the Best Film award for Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd’s Short Film Competition (PSF2018) at the 11th Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival here yesterday.
The winning short film, titled Tandus, brought home a RM5,000 cash prize and a trophy at the festival, held at Black Box, Publika, here.
Produced by Universiti Teknologi Mara Puncak Perdana students, the film depicted the struggle to obtain clean water during the dry season, with the friends blaming each other for their bad habits in wasting water.
The film won the Best Original Screen Play Award and its director Izaq Yuzaini Ismail bagged the Best Director Award.
For the KLEFF River of Life Award 2018, Tandus also received the First Runner-Up award.
For the PSF2018, the first runnerup award went to a Hokkien short film produced by Universiti Sains Malaysia students, titled Reunion.
The students walked away with RM3,000 and a trophy. Reunion also bagged the Best Script and Special Jury Awards.
Second runner-up went to What Matters Most from Taylor’s University.
The first edition of the PSF was held in collaboration with Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festiva. Among those present at the awards ceremony were Deputy Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis, Irrigation and Drainage Department director Md Khairi Selamat, Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Nik Norzrul Thani Nik Hassan Thani and acting chief executive officer Abdul Hadi Ali.
PAAB initiated the inaugural PSF2018 to raise awareness about the need to value water and use it wisely.
Nineteen short films from local universities competed at the PSF2018, themed “Slow The Flow. Save Water”.
PAAB was established in 2006 as a wholly owned company under Minister of Finance Incorporated and is part of the Federal Government’s effort to structure the water services industry.
Hadi said the PSF was a platform for PAAB to create awareness about the importance of water preservation and conservation among the younger generation.
The competition was open to students from institutions of higher learning nationwide.
Hadi said the response for the first edition was positive.
He added that PAAB hoped to continue with this competition.
Meanwhile, Izaq Yuzaini said Tandus, produced on a budget of RM500, was filmed over four days and involved the cooperation of 12 film students.
He hoped his team’s success would spur other students to participate in short film competitions.