Dom Bosco Youth Film Festival

Source: DBYFF/Fides

The first 'Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival' takes place around the world, on 18 and 19 November, with an award ceremony in Turin in the Teatro Grande Valdocco on the last day.

Organized by the Salesian's 'Don Bosco Foundation in the World', the festival is aimed at young people between the ages of 15 and 30 from all over the world and offers awards for short films.

Fr Gildasio Mendes, Don Bosco Salesian General Councilor for Social Communication said "the festival was inspired by Pope Francis' vision, to dream of advocating high ideals, he encouraged them to become responsible citizens".

One hundred and sixteen countries are represented with more than 1600 works, which are divided into five categories and uploaded to the web platform specially created for the festival. The five-language platform (English, Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese) offers filmmakers, jury and audience the opportunity to meet across all geographical borders.

"It is a festival that has the character of a mission," Fr Harris Pakkam, director of the festival, said.

"There are works from remote villages in Papua New Guinea, where we are present with our missions. The missionaries accompanied and motivated our young people to take part in this festival."

'Moved by Hope' is the theme of the festival - taking up the motto that the Superior General of the Salesians Don Bosco has proclaimed throughout the world as a guideline for all activities of the Salesian family.

One hundred representatives from all continents who have specialist knowledge in the fields of cinema and young people made the initial selections. Around 110 films were shortlisted by them.

A jury, made up of 10 leading personalities from the fields of film, art, culture and communication, viewed the films and has selected the winners in all categories.

LINK

Dom Bosco Youth Film Festival - www.dbgyff.com/