Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPTN), in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, recently announced the opening of the Picture This Festival for the Planet (www.sonypicturethis.com), a short-film competition for emerging filmmakers, everyday storytellers and changemakers worldwide to showcase the positive future they see for our planet.
People from over 70 countries around the world are invited to submit videos between one and eight minutes in length inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of global goals agreed upon by all 193 member states of the United Nations to end poverty, protect the planet and promote prosperity for all.
Andy Kaplan, President, Sony Pictures Television Networks, said: “At Sony, we are proud champions of the intersection between storytelling and innovation and are incredibly excited to spearhead Picture This.
With the support of the United Nations Foundation and our other partners, we look forward to elevating and amplifying these important development goals through the voices of emerging creatives and acknowledge their good work in a meaningful way.”
Partners in this year’s festival are the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Association of the United States of America, WeTransfer, Sony World Photography Awards, Sony Alpha Universe, the Environmental Media Association and leaders and environmental visionaries from around the globe.
SPTN launched a similar contest in 2016 across its channel portfolio worldwide, including its flagship brands in Asia, AXN, Sony Channel, GEM, ONE and Animax and those same channels will participate in this year’s festival.
In addition to Kaplan, the list of celebrity advocates and industry leaders who will judge film submissions includes: Megan Boone, environmental advocate and actress from the hit TV series The Blacklist; Elizabeth Cousens, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, United Nations Foundation; Marie Jacobson, EVP Programming & Production, Sony Pictures Television Networks; Tom Bernard Michael Barker, Co-Presidents, Sony Pictures Classics; Mr. N.P. Singh, MD & CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India; Glenn Gainor, President of Physical Production, Screen Gems; Debbie Levin, President & CEO, Environmental Media Association; and Damian Bradfield,President and Chief Marketing Officer, WeTransfer.
In mid-2018, eight (8) regional winners will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the Picture This Festival for the Planet for a day of networking and training alongside industry leaders and social impact partners at the Sony Pictures Studio lot, followed by a screening of the regional winners’ films.
Regional winners will receive airfare and accommodations for two nights in Los Angeles, along with a Sony RX0 Camera and a one year WeTransfer Plus account, with the grand prize winner honored with a Sony A6500 camera and a SEL1670 lens.
In Asia, the first 100 successful entries will receive a one-year WeTransfer Plus account worth USD 120 each. The Picture This Festival for the Planet is Sony Pictures Entertainment’s latest project to bring awareness to the SDGs.
Submissions for the Picture This Festival for the Planet opened on Jan. 30 and will close April 30. The contest is open to entrants from select countries worldwide.