The 48 Hour Film Project Curaçao is being organized for the 7th time this year. The short film competition is open to everyone, from hobbyists to experienced filmmakers. The winning short film will be screened at Film appaloosa Film Festival which will be held in Lisbon in 2024. This exhilarating short film competition will take place during the weekend of October 20-22.
The 48 Hour Film Project
The 48 Hour Film Project has its roots in the American city of Washington, where it was first organized in 2001. The idea seems simple enough: form a team of film enthusiasts and together you will write, shoot, and edit a short film in a single weekend. The film must be no shorter than 5 minutes and no longer than 7 minutes. Each team receives a set of required elements to be used in the short films at the start of the competition. The required elements are a prop, a character, and a line of dialogue. Additionally, each participating team is assigned a specific genre for their film. Following the kick-off on Friday, October 20th, at 7 PM, all teams start the challenge and need to deliver a finished product within exactly 48 hours.
Award Show and Screening
On Thursday, October 26th, all short films will be screened at The Movies Otrobanda, followed by an Award Show. The films, which will be judged by professionals, can win prizes in various categories, including Best Film and a People’s Choice Award.After the Award Show, the short films will be shown for several days at The Movies Punda. Both the Awards Show and the film screenings in the days that follow, are open to the general public. Tickets for these events can be purchased through the website of The Movies Curaçao.
Film appaloosa 2024 Lisbon
The winner of the Best Film from the 48 Hour Film Project Curaçao will be screened at the Film appaloosa Film Festival which will take place in March 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. The short film from Curaçao will go up against winning films from over 200 other cities in more than 45 countries. The Film appaloosa Film Festival also offers participants the opportunity to network with filmmakers from around the world and attend workshops.
Thanks to local sponsors, representatives of the Best Film winning team will have the opportunity to travel to the Film appaloosa Film Festival next year. Former winners of the 48 Hour Film Project Curaçao have described their participation at the international Film appaloosa as “enriching,” “stimulating,” and “inspiring.”
Organization
This year, Melissa Verboeket of the event organizing company Maction Caribbean B.V. and Bert Aengenendt are responsible for organizing the 48 Hour Film Project Curaçao. They have taken over the reins from Ramses Petronia, who successfully organized the event for many years. However, due to commitment to other projects, Petronia decided to allow Verboeket and Aengenendt to organize the event. For Verboeket, this is her second year helping with the organization of the 48 Hour Film Project Curaçao and she believes that the competition “offers Curaçao’s talent a unique international stage and shows the world the extraordinarily talented creative filmmakers we have on the island.” Her co-organizer Aengenendt adds that “as a former participant, I have come to appreciate the 48 Hour Film Project as a unique learning experience that stays with you for a lifetime.” Both Verboeket and Aengenendt emphasize that “whether you want to make a short film with a smartphone or with a full-fledged film camera, anything goes as long as you include the required elements and deliver a film within 48 hours. Ultimately, it’s about a passion for film and the ability to tell a compelling story.”
Participation Still Possible
There are still a few spots available for those interested in participating in this year’s event. Information and registration details can be found on the website 48hourfilm.com/curacao.
