UNECE and the Laser International Foundation Europe (LIFE) are putting the call out to filmmakers across the globe to submit their films to the 2017 Global Road Safety Film Festival, taking place on 20 and 21 February at Palais des Nations in Geneva.
The Festival aims at raising awareness among the public at large about the dangers of the road and at promoting a road safety culture based on proper road behavior.
The Festival has assembled a High Level Jury of Road Safety advocates as well as professionals from the film industry. President of the Jury, Mr. Jean Todt, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, is joined by Mr. Christian Friis Bach, Executive Secretary of UNECE, Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as Mr. Luc Besson, Director, Writer and Producer and Ms. Michelle Yeoh, a famous Actress and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme.
Filmmakers from around the globe are invited to submit their work. Many films from countries as diverse as Belgium, France, India, Iran, Latvia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, USA and Vietnam have already been submitted. The world wide scope of the festival’s participants reflects the need for global action on road safety and the global nature of UNECE’s commitment to improving it.
Films will compete for the three best 2017 road safety film awards and for various special awards, such as best film in Spanish, best film to prevent drunk driving, best film on safe and smart vehicle, best film on safe riding of motorcycles and best film on road safety innovation.
Films must meet three criteria:- They must have been produced within the last three years, so after 1 January 2014;
- All languages are welcome, provided English subtitles are available;
- Films longer than 10 minutes must be submitted with a trailer that is 10 minutes or less.
UNECE is partner to the Festival in its capacity as the secretariat of the Inland Transport Committee. The Festival, among other events, will be held to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Committee. The Festival will precede the annual session of the Committee held that same week.
The Festival will reach out to the high-level participants attending the Committee meeting, many of whom are the decision makers on road safety policies and their implementation.
For more information on the Festival please visit: http://www.roadsafetyfilmfestival.org/