Two Filipino film auteurs are among 18 finalists in a worldwide video contest sponsored by the US Department of State, US officials said Thursday.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney congratulated Melissa “Aissa” Peñafiel and Miguel Ocampo, the producers of a short-film about democracy, for besting some 900 entries from 95 countries. She said Peñafiel and Ocampo’s three-minute video “shows the real power of Filipinos increasingly in the film and creative arts industry.”

Peñafiel and Ocampo, as well as Alastaire “Alas” Tabilos the actor in the video, were the Ambassador’s honored guests at a special screening of the finalist video at the US Embassy in Manila Thursday.

Film students, academics and media attended the screening of “Long Live the Fearless Man.”.. Mr. Edward Cabagnot, Head, Film Division, Cultural Center of the Philippines and Jey Layco, senior student of communications at Far East University, were also in attendance.  They were part of the panel of judges who selected the Philippine winner in an earlier phase of the competition. 
The three-minute video is one of the 18 finalists in the “Democracy Video Challenge” which the US Department of State launched on United Nations Democracy Day in September 2008.   The contest called for three-minute videos that offer the best definition of democracy.  One winner for each of the world’s six regions will be chosen. Peñafiel and Ocampo’s video vies with entries from Japan and Singapore for the East Asian region prize.

While the finalists were chosen by a panel of respected jurors from film, media and related sectors, the regional winners will be determined by online public voting on YouTube..  The 18 finalist videos may be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/democracychallenge and to vote for your choice click the “thumbs up” icon.  Voting ends on the midnight on June 15.

The producers of the six winning videos will be awarded an all-expense trip to New York, Washington and Hollywood in October this year.  During the trip, the winners will visit television/film sets, meet with film professionals, democracy advocates, the media, and government officials.  Their winning videos will also be featured in special screenings.