ST. LUCIA - The second annual awards ceremony of the RISE Film Festival is set to take place Saturday 26that the Bay Gardens Hotel. This year’s festival, (which has proven bigger and more widely received than last years), promises to be a gala ceremony which recognises the skills and artistic creativity of many of the Caribbean’s young and up and coming film makers. With over twenty participants having taken part in this year’s competition, there is also a lot of speculation as to who will be taking home the most coveted awards on the night.

As with the year before, one of the most sought after prizes to be awarded on the night will be The People’s Choice Award. The highly recognised prize holds a lot of merit due to the fact that it is the public who ultimately decides who will win the honour. Presently on the RISE Film Festival YouTube page, the work of all entrants can be viewed. The entrant with the most views on the page will be honoured with the award on the evening. Entries include

The Adventures of Paper Chaser - an interesting look into the life of an unlikely superhero.

HeadPhunk - The Lucian Creative Art Movement’ a documentary about the creative art movement taking place in St. Lucia called Headphunk.

The Mango Tree - a comedic episode which details the occurrences that take place at an average mango tree.

Fallen Empire - a documentary which places the spotlight on one of Barbados' historical treasures, the Empire Theatre.

The public is urged to visit the RISE Film Festival page on YouTube and simply watch to cast their vote. Other categories to be judged on the night include the first, second and third place prizes from all entrees. Best Male Performance, Best Female Performance, 13 and under (Most Aspiring), Best Team Work and Most Committed Individual.

Co-founder of the festival Mr Colin Weekes states, ‘Film is not an industry that we have explored in its entirety in St. Lucia. The film festival is a start of us doing just that. This year we have had entries from Barbados and that goes a little way into us fulfilling our aim of getting more Caribbean islands involved. The number of entrants has also grown this year. Keeping this in mind, coupled with the fact that the film industry is a billion dollar industry worldwide, (with the talent that we have here), I see there being no reason why we in St. Lucia cannot get a piece of that pie’.

As was the case last year, notable film producer Carl Schoenfeld will be making a special guest appearance as the ceremonies keynote speaker. Earlier this year, when asked about the festival Mr. Schoenfeld commented, ‘I think that the idea of having such a festival within the Caribbean is a very good one. It plays a key role in getting people to look at film and to see that they can tell their own stories and in turn make their own films. That is something important that the festival can bring to people, that they do not have to only see the films but the makers behind them also and thus from them gain an understanding of how to approach storytelling behind film’.

For further information about the awards ceremony, or further details of how to vote for your favourite entrant in The People’s Choice category contact Colin Weekes at 520 4814 or at the email  RISE (Saint Lucia) Inc. at 451-7473 or via email atrise.saintlucia@gmail.com.