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Ratu Epeli Nailatikau Minister For Foreign Affairs & External Trade and Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs & Immigration and Minister For Information It is indeed a great pleasure to see so many of you, especially the students and teachers, who are anxiously awaiting the announcement of the winners of our 2007 TFL Kula Film Awards and SPR Bollywood Dance Competition. This is the second year for this event and tonight marks another major milestone in the progress of one of Fiji’s newest industries. Telecom Fiji Ltd must be sincerely commended for having the vision and the commercial acumen to recognize and give the backing required for this auspicious event and to sponsor it for three years. The two-day TFL Kula Film Awards and Audio Visual Industry Open Day is an initiative of the Fiji Audiovisual Commission to showcase to the public the industry and its supporting operators, in a Trade Show, and to focus particularly on our students to encourage their creative talents and interest in pursuing careers in this industry, which has a huge potential and future. In these past two days you’ve witnessed exciting film stunts, watched Fiji films including the short films produced by the students, heard experts talk about many issues, watched a world film premier and seen many other events – all very exciting activities. The Audio Visual Industry was identified as a sector that had great potential to contribute to economic growth in the short term and needed Government support under the National Export Strategic Plan. The local audiovisual industry is advancing in leaps and bounds. We recall the big-budget “Anacondas” production from Sony Pictures Entertainment, at Pacific Harbour in 2003, the “Survivor” reality TV series last December in Vanualevu, the FIT’s Animation Production of “The Great North Pole Elf Strike” which was premiered last year, the ITV’s “Celebrity Love Island” series on the Coral Coast last year, and many other productions too numerous to list on this occasion. From the effective commencement of its operations from 2002 to the end of last year, the FAVC generated for Fiji $324 million of new economic activity and created 7,000 new full-time equivalent jobs. The figures are based on the economic model the FAVC had commissioned which showed that for every $1 of direct expenditure in Fiji, an additional $2.81 of new economic activity is generated. The FAVC generated $179 million of new economic activity in 2006 alone. This is a grand effort considering Government’s grant to the FAVC of $6.05 million in these last five years. The hardworking and dedicated Board and staff of the FAVC should be commended for such a fine effort. While it has restricted its efforts so far to film and TV markets, the FAVC plans to expand its marketing activities to Music, Information Technology, and TV Commercials if given the required resources. Government is cognizant of the fact that the development of a new industry requires a multi-pronged approach and to this end is most supportive of the FAVC strategies. Specific incentives which are competitive with other destinations must be promulgated and continually honed to attract audiovisual investors and operators to Fiji. The FAVC must be adequately resourced to go out to the world and market Fiji efficiently and effectively to realize maximum benefits. Good incentives are no good if the right people out there in the big wide world do not get to know about what we offer or find it too cumbersome to exploit them. Our processes and structures must also be continually reviewed and legislation amended to bring them in line with international best practices. We need to continue to develop local businesses and expertise to service the burgeoning industrial infrastructure and to enable it to effectively take root. Educational and training infrastructure will also need to be built strategically. Investment in infrastructure is a must if we want the industry to grow. Bringing productions to Fiji purely for locations reasons is not as consistent and sustainable long-term. But enabling Fiji to represent anywhere else in the world by utilizing film studios and supporting facilities such as water tanks will effectively generate the required critical mass to establish a world-class industry. But while we must look towards the future, tonight we want to especially celebrate and honour our young people and their creative talents. We look forward eagerly to the SPR Bollywood Dance Competition which is always exciting to watch. I believe a good number of Fijian students are taking part. This augurs well for our efforts to bring our people together and create a bright future for our children. When the FAVC first considered bringing a film festival to Fiji in 2002, it was quickly apparent that the cost of setting up a conventional event would be astronomical and way beyond its resources. But keeping abreast of evolving technologies and concomitant niche markets, the Commission has in due course identified the use of personal DVD cameras, short films, the internet and digital downloads as necessary and sufficient ingredients to open up a whole new genre of film festival at minimum cost – the student short film festival – hence the TFL Kula Film Awards, probably the first of its kind in the world. The FAVC hopes that some of these films will be able to make it to world short-film festivals. Promising ones thus tested in the market, can be further developed and funded as full-length feature films. We know that in the world of digital entertainment technology, the demand for content is enormous especially for video downloads for cell phones, PDAs, iPods, and web hosting. These avenues with technology companies hold promise for our budding school producers to exploit. So students, keep full ownership of your creative work as you may be able to realize some monetary benefits from it! In due course the commission intends to expand the event and open up other genres and categories such as Fijian and Hindi films and an open competition for the public. Once the format is settled it is the intention to open up the event to international competition. Fiji will really take centre stage then. If films are being produced and locals being trained, it will be of little use if there is no outlet for their creative output. That is why Government is keen to deregulate the television market and allow other operators to come in. With the implementation of minimum local content requirement for holders of TV broadcast licences, there will be a ready outlet for local productions. The funding of local productions that showcase our cultures, traditions and ways of life, our flora and fauna, and the faces of our multi-racial society may not be all commercially successful but they are stories we need to tell. One thing we can be sure of is that Holywood and Bollywood are not going to be at the vanguard to get our films made. But our unique view of the world is also just as relevant and we should not have to always submit to the collective weight of the Western paradigm. For example, why isn’t our view of democracy not understood by outsiders? we continue to ask. Lastly some of you may be asking, “Why call this the Kula Awards?” The red feathers of the Kula Bird in ancient days were greatly sought-after as valuable items of trade in the South Pacific and they still have real cultural significance right into modern times. The beautiful parrots such as the ‘kula’ and ‘kaka’ which are endemic to Fiji were also part of ancient myths and legends such as that of the mystical island of Burotokula, inhabited only by beautiful maidens and with an abundance of these colourful birds. The Fiji Museum Catalogue by Fergus Clunie titled, Quote “Yalo I Viti Book” unquote recounted that, quote “a trade in parrot feathers persisted between Viti, Tonga and Samoa since ancient times only dying out this century when it was banned by colonial authorities in the interest of nature conservation.” unquote Parrot feathers were a symbol of chiefly and priestly status and were used to adorn finely woven kilts, headbands, mats and cloaks. The wool used nowadays to fringe Fijian mats is still referred to as the ‘kula.’ The Kula Bird is now an endangered and protected species. It is a treasured bird and embodies the cultures and traditions of Fiji and the things we wish to preserve for future generations. Our arts, cultures, traditions and way of life can now be articulated, captured and preserved in the modern medium of film and digital technology. The Kula Bird will in the process continue to provide a living symbol and vital link between our past and our future through audiovisual media with the annual TFL Kula Film Awards. I want to thank all the students and teachers who have participated in this event, the sponsors especially TFL and others too numerous to name individually, the exhibitors, the Open Day organizing committee, the FAVC and everyone involved in once again making this event a reality. It is now my great pleasure and honour to officially launch the TFL Kula Film Awards 2007. Thank you, Vinaka Vakalevu and Dhan-ya-vad!. - end - |
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