A short film produced by Jesuit work Casa de Produção Audiovisual (CPA) in Timor Leste will be screened and catalogued by the 2012 Prix Jeunesse International. The biennial festival that promotes excellence in children’s television will be held in Munich from June 1 to 6.
The film, The Youth Parliament, is part of Wisdom of the People, a weekly series CPA produces that is aired on the local television network.
The 12-minute film tells the stories of four young people from various districts in Timor Leste who were selected to represent their peers in the Youth Parliament, an initiative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and UNICEF. During the summer programme, the young people learned about public speaking, debates, plenary sessions, and the importance of listening to the needs of the community.
“Their experiences were not always easy, but they gained an experience of what it takes to be the leader in their community,” said Amelia Hapsari, CPA’s director.
Entering its tenth year, CPA is increasingly gaining recognition for the quality of its audiovisual productions in Timor Leste and beyond.
CPA is partnering with UNICEF to promote the participation of youth during the general election later this year. It has produced two public service announcements to encourage first-time voters to register to vote and to help enable a peaceful general election.
It has also cooperated with the Anti-Corruption Commission to create short dramas and comic books as part of the anti-corruption programme in the country. The dramas and the comic books will be disseminated through the national television and radio networks, and in schools.
CPA is one of the works of the Society of Jesus Foundation in Timor Leste. It was founded by the late Fr Ruedi Hofmann SJ in 2002 to strengthen peace building and nation-building in the fragile post-conflict country.
