20 February 2014
Twenty young New Zealanders will be selected to be on the jury for the television industry’s most prestigious international children’s television festival, Prix Jeunesse. They will be responsible for selecting the winner of the 12-15 Fiction/Non-Fiction category for 2014. This category includes dramas, documentaries and magazine style shows from around the world.
“The Prix Jeunesse International Youth Jury is a unique international media literacy project which exposes youth from around the globe to outstanding television programmes from different cultures.” says Prix Jeunesse Co-ordinator Kirsten Schneid.
Finalists this year include CBBC UK’s exciting teen series Wolfblood, documentary Afghan Working Children, by Aria TV, Afghanistan and critically acclaimed Australian teen drama Nowhere Boys.
In 2010 ProductionShed.TV’s Kaitangata Twitch was a Prix Jeunesse finalist breaking new ground for New Zealand children’s television. Yvonne Mackay, director/producer of Kaitanga Twitch is thrilled that connections she made with Prix Jeunesse four years ago have now blossomed into Kiwi kids being chosen as jurors.
“I am thrilled”, said Mackay “for two days they will get to see what they never see broadcast in New Zealand; diverse programmes and genres from Africa to Europe and the America’s. They will join children from other countries in deciding on what are the best of 2014’s children’s programmes”.
New Zealand Children’s Screen Trust Chair, Janette Howe has been working closely with Prix Jeunesse to make a New Zealand jury possible. “Hosting the Prix Jeunesse jury is a fantastic opportunity, it gives our kids a taste of being part of a truly prestigious international event”, says Ms Howe, whose job it will be to select the jurors and co-ordinate the two day judging weekend scheduled for 22-23 March 2014.
The youth jury will bring together children from all over New Zealand with the help of special funding being provided by the Goethe-Institut to fly successful jury members from their Partner Schools in Christchurch and Wellington. The NZ Children’s Screen Trust will support additional students from outside of Auckland to attend.The jury will become part of an ongoing reference group contributing their insights to local programming on screen for New Zealand kids.
New Zealand Prix Jeunesse jury members must be twelve to fifteen years old and be able to attend the Auckland screenings on both Saturday 22 March and Sunday 23 March 2014.
To be considered for selection applicants need to email a 140 character (tweetable) one liner and a 250-word paragraph saying why local kiwi stories are great on screen. Entries are to be received by 9pm Friday 28 February 2014. The Prix Jeunesse New Zealand jury will be announced on Children’s Day, Sunday 2nd March 2014.
For more information on submitting an application visit kidsonscreen (applications have now closed).