Agenda 14

Short Film Festival at Goethe Institute:

by Anuradha Kodagoda

Short film has become the latest trend among the young, talented youth to express their thoughts in visual form. Unlike in the past today it has become the most popular medium of expression around the globe.

The reason why it became so popular is that it does not need to have a message of any kind. It can be highly personal or overtly political. It can be about literally anything.

Even though the short film-making was established as an art form in Sri Lanka many decades ago, it received its deserved recognition as an art form a bit late.

However, in the recent past there is a noticeable recognition received for short films in most of the international film festivals held in Sri Lanka.

Agenda 14 Short Film Festival is one of the pioneer short film

festivals in Sri Lanka. Anomaa Rajakaruna, the festival director of Agenda 14 short film festival, launched the Agenda 14 Short Film Festival 2014 in partnership with European Film Academy for the fourth consecutive year, which started on December 12 and concludes today at the Goethe Institute, Colombo 7.

Six awards will be presented under the categories of Best Film, Jury Prize, Human Rights Prize, Most Gender Sensitive Film, Best Animated Short Film and Most Promising Film-maker (under 24 years).

From this year Agenda 14 Short Film Festival will pay tribute to a short film-maker. This year’s tribute will go to Sugathapala Senerath Yapa for Minisa saha Kaputa.

For the first time Agenda 14 Short Film festival will travel outside Colombo with the support of Canadian High Commission in Colombo and Swiss Embassy in Colombo.

Today’s program

9.30 a.m. – 1.30 p.m. - Screening of the Short Films produced at last year’s Pitching Session followed by a discussion

2.30 p.m. – 5 p.m. - Screening of Sri Lankan Short Films in competition

5 p.m. - Screening of the Closing Short Film Karma Bhoomi

by Bimal Dushmantha

6.30 p.m. - Award ceremony