Borneo Eco Film Festival 2013 on September

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 |

Environmental films and community film-making are highlights of the Borneo Eco Film Festival (BEFF), which returns this year from 27th to the 29th of September at National Cultural and Arts Department (JKKN, Kota Kinabalu.

Leading up tp the festival is SUARA KOMUNITI workshops where the organizers are working to build the capacity of indigenous and local communities to communicate their stories, experiences and worldviews related to Borneo's bio-cultural heritage through the medium of film.

SUARA KOMUNITI activities are conducted all year long through village level workshops where indigenous and local communities work with SUARA guest trainers for two to three days of hands-on training in filmmaking approaches, style and techniques.

Agnes Agama, co-founder of BEFF and environmental anthropologist, said that the first round of workshops took place in Batu Puteh, Kinabatangan in April this year.

"Budding film-makers from selected local communities attended the first workshop of the year on Narratives and ideas, in which participants explored the concept of a 'narrative' and how to develop inspiration into ideas before translating them into film," she said.

Conducted by artistic film maker Chris Chong Chan Fui and creative writer Mellisa Leong, the four-day workshop was attended by the some of Sabah's pioneering non-governmental organizations, namely HUTAN, Model Ecologically Sustainable Community-based Tourism (MESCOT) and Partners of Community Organizations (PACOS).

The second SUARA KOMUNITI workshops on documentary-making will be held from 28-30 June 2013 in Bundu Tuhan, Ranau, followed by the final workshop on editing workshop at the end of August, culminating in a three-day intensive community filmmaking training course from 25-27 September at BEFF 2013.

Festival director Melissa Leong also called for submission for the Boleh Bah Filem Kita (BBFK) short-film competition.

"In collaboration with Borneo Geographic, the competition was well-received last year and we saw the creative submissions of amazing local talents. So we are looking forward to more creative entries this year," said Melissa in a press conference tiday.

Closing date for submissions if 1st August 2013. Exciting prizes await the winners and the winning film will be screened during the festival. For more information on the official guidelines and updates, visit the BEFF website or Facebook page 'Borneo Eco Film Festival'.