The initiative stimulated the presence of new technologies in audiovisual arts.

Panama, June 10, 2021. The IFF Panama Foundation (FIP), in partnership with BID Lab, the innovation lab of the BID Group and the Ministry of Culture, launched the contest "Humanity in Virtual Reality." Following the postponement of several projects with different looks at the first phase of the call, the three final projects were selected and received an initial stimulus of two thousand dollars (US $2,000.00).

These projects moved to the second phase of the process with the aim of selecting the winning piece that will be produced by the IFF Panama Foundation and will be exhibited at a caged installation of virtual reality that will be open to the public in Panama. The three final projects were part of a training process in design, commercialization and pitch in virtual reality. Following the pitch, the jury deliberated and chose the first, second and third place, based on its profound, innovative and high creative, artistic and social proposals.

First prize: "Girar" by Ana Elena Tejera,

Second place: "Echo Resilientes" by Jonathan Alvarez,

The third place: "Paneling" by Martin Contreras.

"We are greatly satisfied with the results of our first incursion into the new initiative of the IFF Panama Foundation, Humanity in Virtual Reality. The projects selected and awarded fill all our expectations and encourage us to continue our efforts to develop cinema and all its derivatives as a tool of social, economic and spiritual change. At this time, we more than ever need these initiatives to get ahead," said Pituka Ortega Heilbron, FIP's Executive Director.

 

The project Humankind in Virtual Reality is run and designed and implemented by the IFF Panama Foundation and remains faithful to FIP's commitment to promote every initiative that promotes cinema and audiovisual as a tool for change, development and encouragement.

That initiative sought to achieve short films that did not exceed seven minutes and awaken empathy and understanding in their future public.

The initiative aims at developing technological pilots necessary to facilitate access to cinema as entertainment and as a complementary tool of education for youth and children at public schools and public transport and among others. Part of the results of this initiative, as a new technology in the audiovisual industry, is to introduce the potential of Virtual Reality as an audiovisual means for the disposal of stories and communication of high social impact issues.

 

The winners:

To show a great artistic development and an understanding of audiovisual language translated into VR technologies, the work Girar by Ana Elena Tejera, generates an immersive experience that tells about the impact of the encounter between human beings with nature and how it defines the identity of a country. Girar generates profound feelings through the image and sound and touches the intimate fiber of our own humanity. That's why the Jury awarded them the first World Award in Virtual Reality with an amount of twelve thousand dollars (US $12,000.00), with this winning piece to be produced by the IFF Panama Foundation.

The Jury decided to give Jonathan Alvarez's Eco Resilient work, the second place for its creative adaptability to the thematic management of confinement generated by our actions to the environment. Eco Resilient manages, through a virtual world, to generate the reflection that inspire us to work for our environment. That work fits with the aims of Humanity in Virtual reality by connecting the public with a social issue through the VR and generates changes, so that it is awarded second place with a prize of four thousand dollars (US $4,000.00).

The third place of the contest was awarded to Panalig by enaltecer through VR technology one of the most ancestral themes of mankind and highlight aspects of Panamanian society unknown to many, the right to religious worship. Martin Contreas with sensitivities and wit leads the viewer through a journey we few know and organically shows the right to freedom of expression. Panalig is an ode to the free spirit of Panamanian and for this reason is awarded the prize of three thousand dollars (US $3,000.00).

"They are moments where, more than ever, tiredness, frustration and despair can end with our empathy and with our humanity. It's at this moment that we have to find at our heart the strength to remember that we cannot achieve anything without solidarity with them all. The virtual reality format allows this immersion to be unique and we are grateful to have an opportunity to generate this kind of initiatives, pioneers in our country, for artists from the audiovisual industry," said Pituka Ortega Heilbron, executive director of the IFF Panama Foundation.

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Carlos Enrique Gómez Mayora

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