New York – 2021 marks the thirteenth anniversary of the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival, a joint initiative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Today, the two organizations are announcing the 2021 call for video submissions and encouraging youth worldwide to submit films and make their voices be heard about the pressing social issues of our time.
“Today more than ever, we need to hear from young people and encourage them to show us the world that they want to build and live in,” said the High Representative for UNAOC, Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos. “PLURAL+ provides this platform to empower youth and allow them to share their vision and inspire us all.”
“Through PLURAL+, many young people have used their talent to produce short films calling for change for the better, particularly on migration, inclusion, and diversity issues,” said Mr. António Vitorino, the IOM Director General, “With change defining our lives since the pandemic, now is an opportunity to reimagine through young people’s lenses these issues and the world we want,” he added.
Every year, PLURAL+ invites young people up to 25 years old to submit original and creative short films conveying constructive messages related to the themes of migration, diversity, social inclusion, and the prevention of xenophobia. The winners will be invited all expenses paid to participate in the PLURAL+ Awards Ceremony, which will take place in late 2021.
With the help of an international jury, IOM and UNAOC will jointly select one short film in each of three age categories (up to 12, 13 to 17, and 18 to 25 years old). This year, they will also award three special prizes: the first one, the Special Award for the Prevention of Xenophobia, will recognize a film that best illustrates the issue of xenophobia and fosters respect for all. The second one, the award #forSafeWorship, will recognize a film that best explores the theme of religious diversity and coexistence between religions and faiths in our modern world. Finally, and for the first time this year, the Award for Solidarity amid COVID-19 will recognize a film that best explores the impact of COVID-19 and related stigma on minority groups, and the need for unity and solidarity to ensure that no one is left behind in terms of equitable access to treatment and vaccines. PLURAL+ partner organizations will also award a multitude of prizes and professional opportunities to several young filmmakers.
With increasing interest and participation over the years, PLURAL+ has become a premier global platform for youth media distribution. Since 2009, over 3,500 short films from more than 100 countries have been submitted to the festival. Winning videos have been screened and broadcast in dozens of festivals, movie theaters, and television networks worldwide, as well as in schools and conferences, and have received more than two million views online.
The deadline to apply for PLURAL+ this year is Friday, 18 June 2020, at 5 PM EST. For more information and to submit a video, visit: https://pluralplus.unaoc.org/plural-entry-form/