Grand Prix & Best Screenplay Award

Some stunning FX in this film - the butterfly sequences worked very effectively.
A good array of carefully framed shots e.g. through the tyre.
Strong attention to detail - not content with using black and white to convey the past, the addition of bubbles greatly added to the dreamlike quality of the sequences and the dying rose with the falling petals showed how much thought had gone into planning and staging the set.
The strong editorial control also kept the film very focused - we weren't told how or why her friend had left - the focus was on the fact that she was gone and how her best friend was coping with her grief.
Sometimes these films can be very morbid but there was a very positive message about the benefits of writing things down as a means to avoiding denial and overcoming difficult events.
A film that would resonate with anyone who has experienced grief.

The shots are impressive. The screenplay is good. The photography is excellent. Camerawork is impressive. Editing is good. The animated butterfly is not intrusive. The music is appropriate.

Best Friendship Award

I found this to be a very real and touching story on an emotional level. Li Yongzheng is a compelling real-life character and he naturally conveys his innocence and dedication, which delivers the main message. The power of love is well-demonstrated by his actions and eventual recognition by the mass media. His commitment and generosity make this a very inspiring story. I think I would have preferred to hear more of his voice and watch more of his personal interactions within the timeframe of the production.

This young team has assembled a great video that is a reminder of what a powerful motivation to help someone can mean. The on-camera performance of the young central character is very engaging to watch and the way the story has been structured helps the audience connect with his mission to raise money for his school friend.
Seeing the story of the video played out on a Chinese television show again demonstrates how the effort that the KWN entrants puts in can produce results outside of the video competition itself.

The Global Citizen Award

Wow - this is a powerful film and it just shows how students can become really empowered when they are provided with cameras which allow them to flex their video muscles.
The strength of this film is in the story telling - it doesn't hector the audience, it may have started out as a film about a possible protest but events change and the students react to that change by taking a more mature reporting line by asking questions and following the evidence which then drives the narrative.
Filming and editing goes unnoticed and the viewer is left to concentrate fully on the content which is the sign of really good technical skills - as well as camera skills there's good ambient sound in locations such as the supermarket and street.
Apart from the immediate impact of the film, one is left feeling that Ferrero might regret declining the chance to give an interview and explain their point of view, because if the students published this film online through a social media site like YouTube the film could reach a lot more people through viral spread and the issue could be picked up by mainstream media.

This team shows great resourcefulness to tell their story with conviction. Their use of a 'taking-it-to-the-streets' style produces a demonstrable change in the attitudes of one the films subjects (the supermarket store manager.)
This Michael Moore-type of approach to video making shows that KWN can be used to effect change in the real world of business and politics.
Good analysis of their interview responses allowed them to encapsulate their outtake message into a succinct phrase - ‘Only 2-cents' - that allows the audience to connect very easily with the plea the video makes. A big effort was obviously involved in soliciting 1,400 responses to their street research.

Best Documentary Award

A fantastic tribute to a woman who achieved so much and inspired so many women later in life even though she died at the age of 20.
The film is strong because it tells the story of her life but does so against a background narrative which enlightens us about the silk trade in Japan and its importance in underpinning the development of the Japanese economy. A great testimony to the importance of equality and to people who sacrifice so much for the benefit of future generations.
This film weaves different themes together in much the same way as the looms blend fine silk threads to make a fantastic fabric. A very strong production with good camera work - good selection of pictures to match the script lines and an enchanting piece to camera which captures the difficulties of traversing deep snow on steep ravines.
Also some very good research underpinning the storyline.
Well done, a very professional film.

This film is very mature, and I'm sure the audience wouldn't think it was produced by junior high school students. The group settled on the subject matter of their local area, and their experience of having been part of the KWN program for 2 years is evident, The hard labor of the girls in the film truly contributed to Japan's modernization. Japan's film team discovered this history and from it illustrated the topic of the social advancement and working environment of women.

The K Factor Award

This team tells their story in a simple and evocative visual manner. The main character's role is very well portrayed - as I watched it I was immediately drawn in to his world and I was curious to follow him as he travelled about collecting newspapers.
Without relying on any diaglogue or onscreen graphics for the majority of the video, this production, with its music accompaniment and single character focus somehow reminded me of the style of early silent films. This video does a good job of conveying its message using fundamentally strong techniques.

A little boy - seemingly unable to go to school - collects and hungrily reads English newspapers in order to study the language by himself. This is an excellent film with an authentically local character, showing the boy's eagerness and creating expectations of a future in which he has mastered the language. The boy's English ending narration reminds the audience of the key messages surrounding the film.

The K-Factor Award is awarded to videos with creative use of technology and the extent to which the KWN motto 'The World Through Their Eyes' is reflected.

Best Storytelling Award

I very much enjoyed the creative and dramatic storytelling techniques used by this team as they presented a novel approach to 'futurecasting' about the earth and our shared environment. Visually, the contrast between the soft colours of the pastoral scenes were well contrasted with the monochromatic cityscapes. The device of the story told around the campfire was a simple and very engaging technique. Some may argue the future is presented as a fantasy, nonetheless it was encouraging to see the underlying message of hope.

This team presents a problem we face today in the form of a fable told in the future and this perspective is unique. They have effectively used sepia and other tones to show the future and the present.
I enjoyed it as a short film which also features many adults. Although the reason why only birds destroyed human society is unclear, the focused scenario for the limited 5 minutes turns out to be a successful choice.