Rome (Italy) – The presentation to the Press of the Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival took place in Rome, at the Salesian Headquarters “Sacred Heart”, of the film competition that collected over 1,600 films from 116 countries around the world and which will end in Turin, Valdocco on 18 and 19 November 2021.
Present were journalists and personalities from the world of communication, the Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime, the General Councilor for Social Communication, Fr. Gildasio Mendes and Fr. Harris Pakkam, Director of the DBGYFF Festival.
Sr. Gabriella Imperatore participated for the Social Communication Sector of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
To welcome the journalists was the Co-spokesperson of the Salesian Congregation, Fr. Giuseppe Costa, who briefly illustrated the program and then left the floor to Fr. Gildasio Mendes, who expressed “joy for this significant event for young people and for all those who have made their film.” Cinema is a communicative language and “a concrete means to unite and involve young people from all over the world, with the collaboration of the delegates of Social Communication and their teams.” The festival, wanted by the Rector Major and promoted with an appeal to the whole Salesian Congregation, has the aim of “promoting the leadership of young people, making the voice of young people heard and spread in all continents. This festival was inspired by the message of Strenna 2021, which had as its theme ‘Moved by hope’ and walks in the vision of Pope Francis who has said many times, Young people, become artisans of the future, be able to dream, get involved by focusing on great ideals. Each of the films that arrived is a hymn of hope for a better life and future. Thanks to you journalists for the work you are doing also in this difficult period. We want to invite you to be ambassadors of hope together with us and with our young people from all over the Salesian world”.
Ample space was given to the presentation of some of the works received www.dbgyff.it.
The song of “Chariet“, the stage name of the young Charity, and the choreography of the young people from the refugee camp of Palabek, Uganda, with which the music video “Moved by Hope” was made is a true hymn to joy; the moving French short “Mister Pipou” on the loneliness in which so many young people have slipped into during the lockdown; “Listen“, produced by the young people of the India-Panjim Province, which reproduced in images and music the transition from total despair to shared joy, which arises from a small gesture of Providence.
Fr. Harris Pakkam, Director of the Festival, then illustrated the long path taken to carry out the Project with young people from all over the world: from its conception in December 2020, in full lockdown, to today with the participation of thousands of young people from 116 countries and with the involvement of over 100 judges in the Preliminary Jury and 10 other personalities from the world of cinema and culture in the Grand Jury. “We were a small team, but we knew how to dream with young people and for young people. It was a work of God,” said Fr. Harris.
The Rector Major explained the meaning and purpose of the DBGYFF. “Giving the floor to young people so that they could express themselves, so that in the face of the tragedies generated by Covid-19 they could have the opportunity to have their say, to spread their voice. We adults often tell young people what we think is important and how they should live. No, young people have the ability to think and know how to express themselves,” said Fr. Á.F. Artime. “We believe that we will have a lot to reflect on, on what young people have told us, I really believe this.” And he adds, “We come to young people as those in love with God to help them make a journey in life. We work above all in countries where the Christian faith is a minority and mission must be done there in the name of God. Don Bosco believed in young people and I think that today’s world must believe more and more in their value.”
After an open session for questions, in which the idea of promoting a worldwide Salesian film school was also suggested to nurture the talents that emerged at this festival, Mr. Alberto Rodríguez, President of the DON BOSCO IN THE WORLD Foundation, offered a final thank you to all present.
The Press Conference, broadcast in live streaming, with the collaboration of IME COMUNICAZIONE, is visible on the page Facebook di ANS and on the Web Site DBGYFFIT.
The “Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival” (DBGYFF) is a unique project of its kind to involve young people from all countries and latitudes in the development of short films on the theme of hope, today more than ever necessary in a world marked by pandemic, wars, and natural disasters. It is an entirely digital festival, with young people and juries who were able to carry out every phase of work through the platform www.dbgyff.com. Over 1,600 videos from all over the world participated in the five categories provided (live action shorts up to 1 minute and from 1 to 10 minutes; animated videos up to 1 minute and from 1 to 10 minutes; music videos within 5 minutes). The presentation ceremonies of the finalists and the awarding of the winners will take place on 18 and 19 November, in hundreds of different locations, along all time zones.
For Italy, the central event will take place in Turin, the city of Don Bosco, on Friday 19 November, from 6 to 7.30 pm and will be broadcast in live streaming on the page Facebook di ANS and on the Web Site DBGYFFIT.
