Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s (UBD) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) is thrilled to announce the 7th PRISM UBD Short Film Festival, a celebrated showcase of creative storytelling, film, and artistic expression. The festival opens with its Opening Screening on 15th November 2024, followed by an eagerly anticipated Award Ceremony on 5th December 2024. There will also be a 2-week online screening where the public can vote for their favourite film for the People’s Choice Award by voting “like” on FASS UBD OFFICIAL from 16th to 30th November 2024.

This year’s event promises to be the most exciting yet, with plans underway to expand PRISM into an ASEAN-level film festival, as PRISM has already been recognised as an event under the ASEAN University Network on Culture and the Arts since 2022. AUN-CA is a network of cultural offices among AUN Member Universities, aiming to promote creativity, culture and the arts among students in the ASEAN region.

For this year’s PRISM festival, budding filmmakers and storytellers from across Brunei and the region will present films from various genres, from public service announcements (PSAs) to comedy, drama, animation, experimental and smartphone-made short films. Over 100 films were submitted from 19 universities across six ASEAN countries: Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam, plus Japan and Romania. There were 51 SDG-themed PSAs received, supported by the Office of Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Sustainability), Universiti Brunei Darussalam. Only the PSA category included professional participation, while the remaining categories were all student-made films. The festival’s primary mission remains steadfast: to provide a platform for emerging filmmakers to share their unique perspectives and artistic visions with an engaged audience of students, industry professionals, and the general public. Through their films, these artists bring to life narratives that reflect societal challenges, cultural nuances, and imaginative possibilities.

“PRISM is not just a celebration of the seventh art form; it is an opportunity to connect, learn, and envision the festival as a regional platform where talent across ASEAN can converge,” said Dr Yong Liu, PRISM’s co-organiser. “We are honoured to contribute to the region’s film culture and are excited to embark on this journey toward greater inclusivity and exposure for our students’ creatives.”

This year’s PRISM was sponsored by the Office of Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Sustainability) – People’s Choice Award and both PSA categories for professionals and students, Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry (sponsor for four award categories), and Imagine Sdn Bhd as the official telecommunications sponsor.

“The continued support from local agencies and sponsors for the PRISM UBD Short Film Festival is a significant milestone in recognising and nurturing student talents in Brunei’s creative industries,” said Dr Mayyer Ling, co-organiser of PRISM. “Such partnerships underscore the importance of bridging academia and industry, and we hope this collaboration inspires greater investment in student-driven creative projects, particularly as we work to expand PRISM to a regional level.”

This future expansion promises broader participation, collaborations, and a more substantial influence within the ASEAN creative community.