Here’s a Blue Peter-style use for all those boxes of old photos that you’ve been meaning to put in albums but not got round to yet. Make a short film with them instead and be in with a chance of winning a new competition, introduced by Jonas and Alfonso Cuarón to coincide with the release of the former’s new film Año Uña.
Cuarón spent a year taking photographs of life around him. He then organised the results into a coherent narrative that naturally ended up featuring his girlfriend and younger brother as the people who appeared most in the images. The resulting film is a story of hopeless love, created through photographic stills overlayed with dialogue in English and Spanish.
In celebration of this innovative style of filmmaking, Cuarón is asking competition entrants to create a three-to-five-minute short film in the same manner, either extending the narrative using his existing images, or creating an entirely new dimension to it with their own photographs. The winner will have their short screened at the premiere for Año Uña, introduced by Cuarón senior and junior, while runners-up will receive other film-related prizes. Judges also include producer Eireann Harper, distributor and producer Chris Coen, cinematographer Darius Khondji and fashion photographer Tom Munro. There is also a People’s Choice award, based on YouTube ratings. The winning film in this category will also receive a screening at the premiere and all winners will be featured on the DVD release.
It’s an excellent way for aspiring filmmakers to get their work seen by a wider public, and an interesting exploration of public participation and collaboration in film projects. Watch the trailer and clips of the film on the website to get a taste of what the judges are after. Let those creative juices flow, or just put your annoying digital camera habit to good use.
For further inspiration, full information and competition rules, and to download a competition pack, visit the competition website.
