VIENNA, 4 December 2024 - Around 100 short films were submitted to this year’s competition from schools and young people in Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Türkiye. Students aged 10 to 20 years were invited, as a class or individually, to participate in the competition. They were inspired by the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to develop short films on themes like freedom, respect, and dignity.
The competition aimed to bring human rights and the UDHR’s articles closer to young people, giving students an opportunity to reflect on these issues and offering a platform for young filmmakers to present their work.
A special award ceremony took place at the Vienna City Hall, where the winners were announced. The third place was awarded ex-aequo to a young filmmaker from Slovenia and a group of high school students from Austria. Sixteen-year-old Anja Tomanič from Črnomelj, Slovenia, won the 3rd place for her short clip “Words” which focused on verbal abuse. The film alludes to the fact that millions of people around the world experience this type of abuse daily. Anja said: “I believe that this achievement is just the beginning of my film journey, which I walk proudly. It is important to always trust in ourselves and the film crew. Great effort and teamwork always pay off.”
The second joint third place was given to students of the school KunstModeDesign at Herbststrasse in Vienna, Austria, for the film “How Can I Stop Feeling So Lonely” produced by Paula Paier, Maxima Panhauser and Johanna Rothleitner. As part of their school photography class project, this group addressed the youth’s relationship to loneliness and the pressure the younger generation is facing to have the perfect life. Paula explained what inspired them to make this film: “With the young generation it’s very common to feel lonely.” The filmmakers wanted to show that asking for help and support is important in times of personal struggles.
The second prize was given to the students of the Spojená Skola Piešťany, a school for children with disabilities in Piešťany, Slovakia. Their film “Chance” touched on themes like inclusion, friendship, teamwork and collaboration, advocating for every individual’s right to respect. Robert Pohořelský, one of the students shared what the prize meant to them: “I did not expect the award. The shooting was amazing.” This group wanted to demonstrate that when given an opportunity to join projects, one can be a valuable member of society.
The first prize winner of the competition went to students from the school BORG Gastein in Bad Hofgastein, Austria for their film “Ausgrenzung”, which touched on the theme of bullying combined with modern dance, produced by a group of 14 students. Selina Ferdiny, one of the group who was present at the event, said: “The topic is relevant and in the public eye, which is important to us because that is what we wanted to achieve with it.”
After the award ceremony, the filmmakers had the chance to exchange their experiences. Each film had a meaningful message, serving as a reminder that no matter our age, culture, or background, as individuals we all share the same human rights.
You can watch all the winning movies HERE.
