Film4Climate: Empowering Global Climate Action

Timezone: Africa/Casablanca

FILM4CLIMATE VIDEO COMPETITION WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED AT THE UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CONFERENCE COP22 AT A DAY CELEBRATING THE POWER OF YOUTH AND CREATIVITY OF CINEMA FOR CLIMATE ACTION

An unprecedented number of entries were received from all over the world for the Film4Climate Global Video Competition 2016, promoted by the World Bank Group’s Connect4Climate program with the support of the Government of Morocco’s Ministry for the Environment, the United Nations, and a coalition of international partners.

864 videos from 155 countries flooded in to compete for a variety of cash and equipment prizes. The winners have been chosen by a distinguished jury of world renowned film makers, film industry professionals, climate solution activists and development specialists chaired by the Italian Master Film Director Bernardo Bertolucci (see full list below).

The competition was targeted towards young people, aged 14 – 35, for two length categories - Public Service Announcements and Short Films. In addition to the major prizes for these groups, there will also be a Popular Prize and special awards going to the best videos on the subject of carbon pricing, regional awards for filmmakers from the Middle East and North Africa, and special prizes for young entrants, aged 14 – 17.

The winners will be announced during the day-long event “Film4Climate: Empowering Global Climate Action” that will take place on Sunday, November 13th, at the historic Cinema Le Colisée in Marrakech. The event is organized in partnership with Dr. Hakima El Haite, Special Envoy for Mobilization of COP22 and High-Level Climate Champion of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), who stated:

Now is the time for climate action, and young people are key drivers to accelerate this action. COP22 is a global platform to show the world the creativity of young filmmakers and artists, and how they are invested in solving climate change.

The day will feature influential climate and communications leaders, including Moroccan Minister El Haite, World Bank’s Senior Director John Roome, Vanessa Fajans-Turner from the Avatar Foundation, and others. Special announcements will be made, including a launch of the Earth To Marrakech Movement.

The event, dedicated to celebrating the power of cinema and global youth’s creativity in encouraging positive climate action, will feature a special screening of Academy-Award-winner Leonardo DiCaprio and Fisher Steven’s newly released climate change documentary “Before the Flood”, which aired on National Geographic in 171 countries and 45 languages, as well as the Global World Premier of National Geographic’s “Years of Living Dangerously – Fueling the Fire” (featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gisele Bündchen) and a special World Preview of energy documentary “Power”, which illustrates comprehensively our energy choices going forward. Each showing will be followed by a discussion with experts in the field.

Film4Climate Jury members and film directors Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Constant Gardener, and the Rio Olympics Opening Ceremony), Farida Benlyazid (Women’s Wiles, A Door to the Sky), Mika Kaurismaki (The Girl King, Road North, House of Branching Love) and actor Christopher Lambert (Highlander, Greystoke) will participate in the day’s discussions and congratulate the Film4Climate winners.

The event is open to the public. RSVP is needed by November 11, 2016, at the following email address: film4climate@worldbank.org.

NOTE: A valid photo ID will be required to access the venue.