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The Daily Star, Lebanon, 18 March 2005

UNICEF film wins prize at Cairo film festival

Project allows children to produce animated stories on rights

Daily Star staff

CAIRO: A documentary film produced by UNICEF Egypt was among the winners at last week's Cairo International Film Festival for Children. "Rebellion of the Canes" - made in 2004 - followed a project which allowed a group of Egyptian children to produce their own animated stories on themes related to children's rights. In the title film, children satirized corporal punishment by showing the teachers' canes coming to life and refusing to beat pupils.

UNICEF Communication Officer Simon Ingram said that the award was welcome recognition that children are capable of producing their own media products.

"Cartoon animation is just one way in which children can find a voice in the modern mass media," said Ingram. "We would like to see more Egyptian children given this opportunity, especially when it allows them to raise issues related to their rights."

On the sidelines of the festival, UNICEF organized an animation workshop in which children were given a chance to practice making simple animated films using a digital video camera and a variety of materials.

As in 2003 and 2004, UNICEF awarded prizes for the best feature and animation films reflecting issues related to children's rights. The winners for 2005 were: "Blind Flyers"  from Germany, and "Connie the Cow" from Spain. - The Daily Star