The Department of Arts at Don Bosco College, Panjim organised a 2-day screening of short films, at the Bicentenary Hall of the college from October 17 to October 18, in accordance with the Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival (DBGYFF). The aim of the festival was to inspire and empower youth in the field of media while promoting social responsibility. It provided an exceptional platform for young filmmakers to showcase their talents, encouraging them to use the powerful medium of visual storytelling to contribute positively to society. This year the theme of the festival was ‘I Have a Dream: Youth and Climate Change – Making Mother Earth Cleaner and Greener’.
This year three films from Goa were shortlisted for the festival, and then emerged winners in the South Asia Region category. Of the three, two films were made by students of the Don Bosco Panjim Campus – ‘The Awakening’ was made by TY BAMCJ student, Rameez Shaikh and ‘A Wish For Change’ by Prathit Fernandes of Don Bosco High School. ‘Echoes of the Earth’, the third film from Goa was made by Abin Francis from Don Bosco Loutolim.
Day one of the screening began at 9:30 a.m. with an inaugural ceremony. The chief guest for the inaugural ceremony was Principal of Don Bosco Higher] Secondary School, Fr Tamatur Cardozo while the guest speaker was Founder on One Earth, Ferdin Sylvester. Also present were College Director, Fr Joaquim
Lobo; Principal of the College, Dr Cedric Silviera and Principal of Don Bosco High School, Fr Avin Carvalho.
The programme began with the lighting of the lamp followed by a speech by the guest speaker, Environmental Conservationist and Founder of One Earth Foundation, Ferdin Sylvester who spoke of his dream for a greener world. He urged students to work towards a common goal to improve the environment, create environmental awareness and protect the resources of the environment. College Principal, Dr Cedric Silveira felicitated Mr Ferdin Sylvester with a sapling, symbolic of the theme of the film festival.
Rameez Shaikh and his team were invited to speak and interact with the enthusiastic audience that comprised students from the Don Bosco High School Section, Students from the BA programme and parents. The filmmaker and team were then felicitated for their achievement by the college director with a
congratulatory token, which was then followed by the screening of the film.
Prathit Fernandes and his team also interacted and shared insights on his film ‘A Wish For Change’. Principal of the college section felicitated the youngfilmmaker and his team for having won a place in the South Asia Region category.
The film screening was divided into three slots, each of a duration of 45 minutes. A short synopsis of every film, selected for viewing, was shared by students of the BA department before the screenings. The BA students interacted with the audience by asking them which film they liked and their reason for the same, what values they learned, and more.
At the end of the second slot, students provided their feedback on the films they had watched. They enjoyed the films and reflected on their choices and the impacts on the environment.
Day two of the Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival was held on October 18, 2024 at the Bicentenary Hall of Don Bosco College at Panaji, Goa. The programme began with College Director, Fr Joaquim Lobo addressing the audience with an inspiring speech, encouraging the crowd to embrace dreams that drive change. He emphasised that the youth have a crucial role to play in building a sustainable future by adopting environmentally responsible behaviours.
Abin Francis of Don Bosco Loutolim was invited, along with his team, to interact with the college students and discuss his filmmaking journey. He was then felicitated by College Director, Fr Joaquim Lobo.
On the whole, Day 2 of the Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival was an inspiring and impactful experience. The combination of creative storytelling and real – world environmental messages left a lasting impression on the audience. The event effectively highlighted the urgency of environmental conservation and empowered young participants to become advocates for positive change.
Some of the short films screened during the festival included:
- Echoes of the Earth: A visually stunning film celebrating the natural beauty of Goa and Loutolim, emphasizing the need to preserve local ecosystems.
- The Awakening: A narrative about the awakening of human responsibility toward environmental stewardship.
- A Wish for Change: A motivational story that shows how individual efforts can collectively lead to meaningful environmental transformation.
- Echoes of Deepor: A film highlighting the ecological importance of the Deepor Beel wetland and the necessity of conserving such habitats.
- Lucky’s Planet: A unique film about a genome whose daily ritual is to water flowers, symbolizing the importance of nurturing nature.
- Kuppi Muniswamy: A narrative showcasing how local communities take active steps to preserve their environment, inspiring global change.
- Locked In: A story that uses the metaphor of confinement to convey the urgency of escaping environmental degradation.
- Dream Your Dream: Encourages viewers to envision a future shaped by sustainable choices and actions.
- DIY (Do It Yourself): Focuses on small, practical steps individuals can take every day to contribute toward environmental protection.
- The Empathy Gap: Explores the emotional disconnect between humans and the natural world, urging viewers to develop empathy toward the environment.
Following the screenings, a brief interaction was held with the audience on their preferred film, a meaningful takeaway message from the showcased films and an overall feedback of the Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival.
Feedback collected from the participants was overwhelmingly positive and many attendees appreciated the impactful storytelling which motivated them to take steps toward protecting the environment.
A total of 340 students across the departments of BCA, BBA and BBA T&T, BA, BCom and BAMCJ, as well as teachers and parents attended the screenings on both days.
The film screenings were open to the public.
