Casa de Produção Audiovisual (CPA) has been awarded the Next Generation Prize for its programme, The Youth Parliament, at Prix Jeunesse International 2012 Munich, Germany. 

The Prix Jeunesse Foundation promotes quality television programmes for children and its bi-annual Prix Jeunesse Festival receives entries from premier children’s television producers around the world.  The 2012 festival attracted 353 television programmes from 70 countries.  

“This is a wonderful 10th anniversary present for CPA,” said Amelia Hapsari, former director of CPA, who wrote, produced and directed the film.  “CPA was started in June 8, 2002 by Fr Ruedi Hofmann SJ.   It was the year Timor-Leste regained independence and we owe so much to his bravery, visionary, and spiritual efforts.

“We thank God for all the blessings He has given to CPA and East Timor – despite all the struggles and challenges we face there every day.”

This was CPA’s first entry to the Prix Jeunesse Festival.  Although it was not selected as a finalist in the main award categories, The Youth Parliament was judged good enough for CPA to be nominated for a special category award – the Next Generation Prize.   The nominations for this prize were judged by a panel of experts in children’s television comprising senior executives of Youth Media Alliance, Canada; Children’s TV Foundation, Australia; UR, Sweden; ZDF Germany; and CBeebies Production Animation and Acquisitions, United Kingdom. 

In announcing the prize on June 6, Alison Stewart, Head of CBeebies Production Animation and Acquisitions, UK, said on behalf of the judges, “The jury members for the Next Generation Prize agreed that the nominated programmes in this category were outstanding in terms of content and production values. 

“We were unanimous in deciding to reward the Production Company which we  feel will benefit most from the training and development opportunities offered by this Priz e.  The winners come from a new country with very little provision as yet for bespoke children’s programming. We hope therefore that this Prize can make a difference not just to the winnin g Company, but in the longer term, to the country’s children, who have little access to the riches we have all witnessed here at Prix Jeunesse 2012. So this year’s Next Generation Prize goes to Casa de Produção Audiovisual from Timor Leste for their programme ‘Youth Parliament’.”

The prize will give the CPA team opportunities for international training and internship in well-established children television companies in the United Kingdom, other countries in Europe, or Australia.  Prix Jeunesse will work with CPA to tailor the training to best meet its needs.

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 programme 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.

Hapsari said that The Youth Parliament was a true team effort. Thomas Prozonato, the Associate Producer, came up with the idea. Humberto Cunha do Espirito Santo and Mario dos Reis Marques were the cameramen, and Humberto also did the sleek editing and graphic style that is very appealing to a young audience.  The editor was Francisco Sarmento.  

For find out more about Casa de Produção Audiovisual, visit www.cpatimorleste.org