Still fresh off a very successful 2011 edition of the Secondary Schools Short Film Festival (SSSFF), the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC) last week announced that the 2012 festival will be launched tomorrow at an official ceremony at Movietowne, Port-of-Spain.

At the launch, the TTFC will unveil the highly anticipated themes for the 2012 programme as well as distribute prizes of film equipment to last year’s winning schools. Minister of Trade and Industry, Stephen Cadiz will attend and address the gathering.
The SSSFF is an opportunity for young people to immerse themselves in the area of film production. Students are guided through the process through workshops organised by the TTFC, which in turn enlists local film practitioners to give of their time and talent to ensure that the potential of each film project is maximised.
The TTFC takes very seriously its role to develop young practitioners through training and other programmes. “Students that participate in the Secondary Schools Short Film Festival have an enviable opportunity that their peers do not, to learn about the audio-visual industry and to discover and nurture their creative and technical abilities,” stated Christopher Laird, Chairman of the TTFC.
“Since film is not on the official schools’ curriculum, this programme is a singular opportunity for students to expand their knowledge in the area and even provide valuable experience that can be listed later on their college applications. For many, this opportunity may even translate into a full-fledged career in film – and this is the ultimate objective of the programme – to develop talent that can ultimately contribute to the growth of our local audiovisual industry.”
The prizes which will be distributed at the event to last year’s winners include camcorders, sound and lighting kits, editing software and an iMac.
“Sponsorship is important,” stated Rudolph Hanamji, TTFC’s Marketing Manager. “It is because of our sponsors that winning schools can receive film equipment that allows even more students to learn about filmmaking through audiovisual clubs and other programmes that may be developed in the schools. We are thankful for these sponsors and hope that even more will come on board in 2012.”
Movietowne, which pioneered the competition, remains a committed sponsor. Others include the Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism, the Ministry of Education, the Tobago House of Assembly, NIHERST, bpTT, OvertimeTT.com, the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival, The Book Sauce, Coca Cola, First Citizens Bank, Holiday Snacks and KFC.
Application packages for the 2012 Secondary Schools Short Film Festival will be distributed to schools across the country. Schools requiring more information about the programme can visit the TTFC’s website at http://www.trinidadandtobagofilm.com or call the TTFC at 625-FILM.

For the original report go to http://www.newsday.co.tt/features/0,154148.html