ImagiNATION Short Film Competition
ImagiNATION Short Film Competition
Our Objective
The Wyss Academy launched the ImagiNATION short film competition, a unique storytelling project that brings together young filmmakers and changemakers from Kenya, Peru, and Switzerland. In collaboration with the Wyss Academy for Nature’s Changemakers Program, EthnoKino Doc Impact Lab, and 2291.ch, this competition transforms the ambitions of young visionaries and social entrepreneurs into compelling audiovisual productions.
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The project was launched on August 11, 2024 and has been concluded.
Summary
In 2024, ten submissions highlighting issues such as climate change, conservation, and land restoration were evaluated by a three-member jury of experts, among them Alice Apley, Executive Director of Documentary Educational Resources (DER); Gabriel Lama Oliart, Head of Solutions Mapping at the UNDP Accelerator Labs and Cultural and Social Innovation Designer; and Urs Bühler, Journalist and Editor of the magazine NZZ am Sonntag. The top three short films received an Award of Recognition and were screened at the Teatro Paravento in Locarno, Switzerland, on August 11, 2024.
The winner of the 2024 competition is An Amazon Night’s Dream, by Diego Sarmiento and Milenka Rojas Ramírez. The film reflects on the past, present and possible future of the Amazon—its beauty, its endangerment and its boundless potential—told through the voice of a young Indigenous girl in a dialogue with her grandmother. It was honored alongside The Guardian of Gaia by Lady Vinces Cruz and Rosakebia Liliana Estela Mendoza, and Melich Builds a House by Lydia Matata and Melich Gichia.
In collaboration with: Changemakers | 2291 Festival | Ethnokino
Project Connections
Timeline
ImagiNATION short film competition winner announced
Project Update August 11, 2024
The short film tells of the past, present and possible future of the Amazon, of its beauty, its endangerment and its boundless potential - reflected by a young Indigenous girl in a dialog with her grandmother. It was selected as the best film of the year alongside "The Guardian of Gaia" by Lady Vinces Cruz and Rosakebia Liliana Estela Mendoza, and "Melich Builds a House" by Lydia Matata and Melich Gichia. The three short films received an Award of Recognition and were screened at the Teatro Paravento in Locarno, Switzerland, on August 11, 2024.The newly launched ImagiNATION short film competition, a collaboration between the Changemakers program of the Wyss Academy for Nature, the EthnoKino Doc Impact Lab and Fondation2291 in Switzerland, aims to visually translate the ideas of young visionaries and social entrepreneurs in a creative way. The ten films submitted this year explore various topics such as climate change, nature conservation and land restoration.
Screening and Award Ceremony at the Teatro Paravento in Locarno
Project Update August 11, 2024
Ten submissions—which highlight issues of climate change, conservation, and land restoration—were evaluated by a four-member jury of experts, among them Alice Apley, Executive Director of Documentary Educational Resources (DER); Gabriel Lama Oliart, Head of Solutions Mapping at the UNDP Accelerator Labs and Cultural and Social Innovation Designer; and Urs Bühler, Journalist and Editor of the magazine "NZZ am Sonntag". The top three short films received an Award of Recognition and were screened at the Teatro Paravento in Locarno, Switzerland, on August 11, 2024.Tatjana von Steiger, Head of Global Policy Outreach at the Wyss Academy and initiator of the ImagiNATION Short Film Competition, remarked how valuable it is for young changemakers to see their ideas showcased at such a major event.“These films are testimonies of our Changemakers' dreams and ideas for crafting a better tomorrow within their communities. Told through the eyes of young filmmakers, they beautifully spread messages of hope and truthfulness."This sentiment was echoed by Natalia Peralta, Multimedia Designer & Communications Expert at the Wyss Academy, who added that the synergy between different disciplines can create impactful, transformative narratives."At the Wyss Academy, we firmly believe in collaborative projects that integrate diverse types of knowledge and skills. In this case, when entrepreneurship merges with art, it unleashes great potential to amplify voices that can bring true change.", she remarked.During their time at the EthnoKino Doc Impact Lab, the filmmakers received mentorship from award-winning documentary filmmaker, Dr. Eda Elif Tibet, who is also a postdoctoral researcher at the Wyss Academy. Among elements to consider while producing the films, the evaluation criteria of the final product was most important. “For selection of the best films, the jury were looking for emancipatory qualities in authentic storytelling, as well as meaning and depth. Award-winning films always have a long-lasting impact on the viewer.", shared Dr. Tibet.The Changemakers Program was created to empower youth with essential skills to drive positive community change through innovative initiatives. The first edition of the program—launched in 2023—engaged participants in a six-month collaborative learning journey that culminated in a summit held in January, 2024, in Isiolo, Kenya.
10 submissions accepted for the ImagiNATION film competition
Project Update June 15, 2024
An Amazon night's dreamA film by Diego Sarmiento (Peru) who worked with changemaker Milenka Rojas Ramírez (Peru)Project description–ChangemakerMy goal is to implement agroforestry systems with the support and knowledge of native communities in the Peruvian Amazon, thus enhancing living standards by reducing malnutrition and anemia rates. Additionally, with this agricultural system, the aim is to restore the ecosystem services of their territory affected by anthropogenic causes.Film SynopsisA girl and a grandmother reflect on a dream in the Peruvian Amazon. They have a deeper connection. "An Amazon Night's Dream" brings the audience closer to an indigenous vision of nature by telling the story of growth and decay, the passing on of knowledge across generations and the inexhaustible, also spiritual, value of the forest in dreamlike, poetic image sequences that are effectively framed by a conversation between granddaughter and grandmother. In the face of the destruction of the rainforest, the film does not offer concrete solutions but pleads for a different perspective.
Team
- Project contact
Project contact
Noa Kurz
Policy and Research Associate
