Launch of the Democracy Video Challenge

PR0868E | Date: 2008-10-24

The Democracy Video Challenge asks budding filmmakers, democracy advocates, and the general public to create video shorts that complete the phrase, "Democracy is…"

"We expect this competition will be well received and lively in Taiwan, not only because of Taiwan's vibrant democracy, but also because of Taiwan's creativity in filmmaking," said Thomas Hodges, AIT's Chief of Public Affairs Section.

The Challenge will honor seven winning videos: one each from Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Near East and North Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere, and one anonymous video. The winning videos will be selected by global online voting. The video platform is provided by YouTube.

Winners will be eligible to claim an all-expenses paid trip to the United States that includes screenings of their videos in New York, Hollywood and Washington; meetings with film directors, public officials and democracy advocates from non-governmental organizations; and visits to film sets and TV program sets. 

The AIT will hold a screening to evaluate submissions from Taiwan. Taiwan partners of the Challenge include Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, Council for Cultural Affairs, Chinese Taipei Film Archive, Taiwan Film and Culture Association, SPOT Taipei Film House, and National Taiwan University of the Arts. 

For guidelines, rules and more information about the Challenge, please visit http://www.videochallenge.america.gov/