Katalog LET'S CEE Film Festival 2012

SEITE 96 | EESC VIDEO CHALLENGE
Launched at the beginning of 2012, the European Economic and Social Committee‘s first Video Challenge
was created to reach out to European youth. Less than three months later, the competition was wrapped
up during a very emotional award ceremony held at the EESC in March 2012. The competition gave European
youth aged 18-30 years the opportunity to showcase what Europe means to them via a short video.
Being an amateur was one the conditions for the competition as was taking into consideration the 2012
European year of “Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations”. Out of 67 entries, 43 videos qualified
to enter the online public voting. Finally, a jury composed of two EESC Members and two film and media
professionals selected the three winning video clips out of a shortlist of 11 videos resulting from the initial
public voting. The challenge actively used social media to engage with the citizens. On the one hand, with
the youth of Europe via video submissions, and on the other hand, with all EU citizens who could share and
discuss the videos and finally take part in the public voting.
THE WINNING PROJECTS
1st prize
The video Zinnekes from an international team from Belgium creatively demonstrates different values and
beliefs through the use of key words written on a big sheet of paper. If Europe was a word, which word
would it be? It includes snapshots of people from the street highlighting European values, ideas and key
achievements- sometimes in a critical or a light-hearted way. The interconnectivity and sense of community
is greatly shown, and the overall message is an optimistic one for Europe.
2nd prize
Barre Barreras from Spain shows the borders and differences present in European society through a symbolic
and creative approach. The simplicity of the actions taken in this video provides symbolic meaning to
many European issues faced in the past as well as today. The overall message is one of hope and positive
change as the borders are finally simply swept away. The team donated the money they won to a charity
organisation in Nicaragua.
3rd prize
Our European Life, a video entry from Hungary, uses familiar and youthful props such as little figures and
drawing paper to create an upbeat and dynamic animated clip. Key European values are communicated
and clearly demonstrate what Europe means to the producers of this video.
www.eesc.europa.eu/video-challenge
Here are the projects which made the
final shortlist, from 4th to 11th place:
The 4th place is occupied by T-Shirt, a
story told from the perspective of a T-
Shirt. “Europa, you are you and this is me
and all this is around us and in us, Europe
is our life”, writes the director of this
video, and goes on: “We chose to tell
the story from a T-shirt‘s point of view!
We look into the topic of Active Ageing
and Solidarity between generations,
showing the stages of ageing and how
it gets damaged.” EU-Ingredients made the 5th place. The video bears the idea that each and every
citizen of the EU has a piece of the EU at home, but may not even realise it, just as many Europeans
aren’t aware of their similar or shared cultural and economic roots. The 6th place features Connected
Europe, a project sent it from Estonia. Since 2012 is the European year for ‚Active Ageing and Solidarity
between Generations‘, this team thought of events that would bring different generations and Europe
together. The best event is grandmother‘s birthday. The fact that the grandmother celebrates the day
with her granddaughter in a night club, may be seen as contribution to active ageing. Young, middleaged
and older people don‘t all have the same opinion on what Europe means to them. What Europe
means to us shows that it’s precisely these different opinions that make Europe to what it is now. The
Progress, a project on the 7th place is about a country boy‘s dream which becomes reality. Live your
dream! Choose your path! Welcome to Europe! “We wanted to introduce a Europe in an ironical way, in
which every citizen has his/her individual ‘commissioner’ who allows him/her to have a strong voice in
the decision-making process”, wrote the makers of the video Strong Voice, which made the 9th place.
Tears do not matter if you have a young heart: Most of us young people are fortunate enough to still
have a grandmother and/or a grandfather. Some of the grandparents are still very active, some less,
but whenever they do something together with their grandchildren, then the old become young, are
reminded of their youth and tell stories of the past. In short: They feel great and the young one ones,
too. And that’s what this video is about. The video Luff Story is about the lion Luff who takes his chances
to live and travel freely in Europe. Europe means free movement, travelling without borders, living free
in every possible way.
LET‘S CEE FILM FESTIVAL 2012