VIDEO CONTEST

Why document atrocity? 

Atrocity is documented in many ways: it can be documented through photographic or video record. It can be documented through a written or spoken statement. Some think it can also be documented through art. Documenting atrocity is known as testimony. Testimony helps us to understand human rights abuses. It helps in holding those responsible to account. Importantly, testimony helps us to try to ensure the atrocities it documents are put to an end and never repeated. 

To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps, 3 Generations is holding a video contest.

“Unless the world learns the lessons these pictures teach, night will fall. But, (by God’s grace) we who live will learn.”

These are the closing words of German Concentration Camps Factual Survey (GCCFS), the award-winning documentary depicting the atrocities of the Nazi concentration camps. The footage was shot by Allied Soldiers during the 1945 liberation of the Nazi concentration camps, and was made into a documentary by producer Sidney Bernstein, father of 3 Generations founder, Jane Wells: it is the impetus for all the human rights work 3 Generations does. Although the film was suppressed for decades, the footage it contains has served as the principal visual testimony of the Nazi concentation camps, playing a critical role in our understanding of the human rights abuses that took place within their borders. We want the closing quotation of GCCFS to be the inspiration for the videos submitted to the contest.

Why document atrocity? What does it mean to give testimony? What does it mean to bear witness? How do we learn from testimony and how do we ensure those lessons are never forgotten?  What is the significance of representing atrocity? What is the role of video and photographic testimony? Can art be considered testimony? What is the value of current and/or historic testimony today? 

3 Generations invites young artists, aged 16 to 30, to create a short video work (up to 4 minutes in length) which considers one or more of these questions. This contest is open to everyone regardless of religious and cultural background. Submissions can take any shape: documentary, poem, fiction, animation, essay film, monologue, experimental etc. Use whatever medium you feel comfortable with, as long as it is presented in video format. Submissions will be judged on their originality and creativity. We are looking for work which considers the meaning and importance of testimony, or which teaches new audiences about human rights abuses, currently occurring or historic.

We recommend watching GCCFS (2014) and/or Night Will Fall (2014) – both available online – for inspiration, but it is not compulsory. 

The acclaimed visual artist, Marilyn Minter, will be the Jury President. Other judges include Producer Dorothy Berwin, filmmaker Mickey Lemle, author Lili Hamlyn, film distributor for Menemsha Films, Neil Friedman and Clara Citron, student. Final panel TBC.

Shortlisted and winning videos will be shared across social media and will be made into a compilation and submitted to film festivals across the USA by our partner Menemsha Films. 

Awards & Prizes

There will be three cash prizes of $1,000, one for each the following 3 categories:

Micro-short: 60 sec or less 

Short: 4 mins or less 

Viewers Choice: A prize voted on by the public.

Rules & Terms

  1. The deadline of the contest is 27th January 2021.
  2. Applicants must be 16-30 of age.
  3. Applicants must be based in North America.
  4. Submissions from individual applicants only, although applicants may solicit friends to help with their project. 
  5. 1 submission is allowed per applicant.
  6. Submissions must have been completed after October 20th 2020 with a minimum duration of 30 seconds and maximum duration of 4 minutes including credits.
  7. The contest accepts submissions via FilmFreeway. You are able to upload your film as a digital file via a secure external link, or to provide a password-protected Vimeo link, once your registration details have been completed.
  8. The contest will not confirm the receipt of submissions and preview copies. All applicants will be notified via e-mail about the selection or rejection of their film.
  9. Upon submission, applicant grants 3 Generations the right to screen submission online, and use material from submission for promotional purposes over a period of 12 months from the date of submission. 
  10. Upon submission, applicant grants 3 Generations and partner Menemsha films to submit the work to international film festivals as part of a compilation of selected films. 
  11. The competition requests premiere status for the online screening of films. Any submissions available online prior to the online screening or previously screened publicly may be disqualified.
  12. Submissions should only contain original work and/or approved content from the film. Submissions. may not contain material that infringes another’s copyright or licensing rights or otherwise infringes another’s rights, including but not limited to privacy, publicity or other intellectual property rights. With this submission, the applicant confirms that they possess all rights necessary for the screening of the submission for this video contest, and for any film festival the work is submitted to if selected.
  13. If the original language of any dialogue or text featured in the submission is not English, the preview and screening copy must be subtitled in English, unless this is at variance with the filmmaker’s intention.
  14. All submissions with messages that are deemed inappropriate or offensive will be disqualified.
  15. Any person(s) appearing in your video (including but not limited to persons videotaped, quoted, or recorded) must provide consent.
  16. At the point of submission you will be asked if you have read and agreed with the festival’s regulations. By agreeing to proceed with your submission you are agreeing to these regulations and your application can then be processed. Entry of a film is binding and implies acceptance of these regulations.
  17. In the event of disagreement concerning the interpretation of the regulations, the interpretation of the contest will take precedence.
  18. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in the submission being disqualified.
  19. These regulations are subject to change without prior notice.
  20. Any queries can be directed to gccfs@//3generations.org

Any queries can be directed to gccfs@//3generations.org

The deadline for submissions is January 27, 2021