Izah Azahari
The 6th annual Brunei Film Blitz launched the highly competitive 96-Hour filmmaking competition yesterday following the announcement of the designated “secret ingredient” for this year’s cinematic technique.
The secret ingredient – long take – was announced at Mahakarya Institute of the Arts Asia, marking the start of the filmmakers’ blitz to produce their three-to-six-minute short film in 96 hours.
Films must be submitted by 10am on December 26.
With 30 registrations this year, the number doubles last year’s participants.
Festival Director Siti Kamaluddin, in her opening remarks, said there is an improvement of film entries from local filmmakers since the debut of the Brunei Film Blitz in 2017.
“The quality of films produced in the 96-Hour Blitz has improved tremendously and I am proud of the achievement of our participants. The Brunei Film Blitz has become a platform many to network, and to launch their career in film. We are happy to see fresh and familiar faces participating this year.”
All 96-Hour Blitz films must include the designated “secret ingredient”, which must have a major role or placement in the storytelling, theme or the plot of the storyline.
The ‘long take’ technique requires the filmmakers to use a single shot in their films that normally would employ editing to move the story forward, and it must be at least 30 uninterrupted seconds in duration using dynamic camera movement and actor blocking.
Winners of Brunei Film Blitz competitive categories will be awarded at the Brunei Film Blitz Screening and Gala Ceremony on December 28.
Meanwhile, diaspora in Brunei experienced a cinematic reunion with their homeland as the Brunei Film Blitz presented specialised film programming from around the globe.
Audience members from Australia, Turkiye, Indonesia and Iran watched films from their countries with the public at Mahakarya Institute of the Arts Asia recently.
Siti Kamaluddin said, “Having people from different communities come together to share a country’s national cinema is a pivotal function of the Brunei Film Blitz. The movies are like mini-vacations to those who are unable to travel during December.”
