Sixteen year old New Zealand student and WIFT member Natasha Bishop has become the youngest filmmaker to have a film nominated for the prestigious Japan Wildlife Film Festival (JWFF), with her award-winning short film Arboraceous screening In Competition at the festival this August.
The four minute animated short will compete with 42 other films made by the likes of the BBC, NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) and other international broadcasting giants.
Arboraceous, a whimsical take on humanity's need to take care of the only planet we have, was made last year as an entry to The Outlook for Someday sustainability film challenge for young New Zealanders, where it was chosen by the judges as The Body Shop Standout Winner.
The Japan Wildlife Film Festival is the largest event of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region. Receiving more than 400 film entries from more than 50 countries, the biennial JWFF is attended by 40,000 members of the public, who come from all over Japan to watch high quality natural history films over the four-day event. The festival screens nominated films at theatres that open to the public free of charge.
This year the JWFF will be held on 8 - 11 August.
Arboraceous can be viewed online at The Outlook for Someday.
Now in its 7th year, The Outlook for Someday is New Zealand's sustainability film project for young people. It includes an annual film challenge and a national series of sustainability filmmaking workshops.