Competition opens to media students

Dubai: Budding film-makers can start sending in their entries for the seventh edition of the Ibda'a Media Student Awards, which has introduced a new mobile film category to honour the best short film captured with a mobile phone.

Organised annually by Dubai Media City in partnership with the International Advertising Association (IAA) and sponsor Ziad Galadari Group, the Ibda'a Media Student Awards is accepting entries for 11 main categories this year.

The award categories include journalism (non-news), radio, animation, graphic arts, analogue photography, digital photography, print advertising, TV advertising, film/TV feature, TV documentary and mobile film.

The deadline for submissions is October 9.

Shortlisted entries will be showcased at an exhibition from November 24 to 29. Winners will be acknowledged during a gala awards ceremony.

The competition is open to all undergraduate and fresh graduates for 2007-2008. Entry forms are available on the dedicated website www.ibdaa-awards.ae.

"The introduction of a new category for films shot on a mobile phone reflects our keenness to embrace new trends and acknowledge the changing face of media technology. Movie making by mobile phones has gained international recognition through film festivals from Paris to Japan and have even led to the launch of academic courses by leading universities worldwide," said Mohammad Al Mulla, Executive Director of Dubai Media City and Coordinator General of Ibda'a Awards.

The Ibda'a Awards have been expanded this year to include new markets in North and South America, as well as parts of Europe.

The 2007 edition of Ibda'a received over 2,200 entries from more than 21 countries including Egypt, India, Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan, the Philippines, the UK and the UAE.