A global short film festival that took over the World Film Capital

Kep Province, Cambodia – The second version of the Don Bosco Global Film Festival 2023 took place in Los Angeles, the USAs city that is mostly associated with the film industry. It was a sign chosen by the organizers of the DBGFF, bringing the simple short film productions of young people from literally all the continents.

The chosen topic with the suggestion of the Rector Major of the Salesians, Card. Ángel Fernández Artime, was Love, Peace and Solidarity. How youth from different cultures understand such deep concepts in a time where there is a great need for it, with the undergoing bloody conflicts. At the moment, there are 49 armed conflicts in the world, 7 major wars and another 42 classified as wars, minor conflicts, or skirmishes and clashes.

But films festivals and events are not new to the Don Bosco Family worldwide. Descendants from a saint that is considered technological modern, fascinated by the wonders of the development of photography of the second half of the 19th century, a global film festival for the youth is just a natural development. “Don Bosco stands out as a unique group that celebrates and rewards young people. This has always been the prime concern of Don Bosco and is obviously seen in the numerous initiatives and activities carried out in their favor,” is written in the official site of the DBGFF. 

At the Cambodia Salesian Delegation, the event got the participation of two short films that were also selected for a quick selection mostly from the students of media communication of Don Bosco Kep. Breaking challenges like the fear to participate in a sort of contest against all the world, overcome by the idea that we are Don Bosco, we are a global family and it was not a contest, but a show of love, solidarity and, most specially, peace, our Cambodian youth created their own scripts and moved their production team to be among the 23 countries that participated. 

Looking at the faces of many young people on screen, from South America, Africa, Polinesia, North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia, is a fascinating experience of the fruits of the Salesian charisma, the dreams of Don Bosco that have reached all the Planet. The Cambodian short film “Friends’ ‘by Yin Vochnim, with the acting of Nheb Ria, Rochom Oun and Sok Kakkada, got the first place at the regional classification. The short story shows the interaction of three friends, sharing a room and getting a laptop for studies. The production also includes the participation of an indigenous youth, Rochom Oun, Jarai people, getting ideas to create future projects in favor of his own community through filming and communication skills. 

During the Los Angeles Event in October, Cambodian youth were at home for holidays, but their teachers invited them to follow the program on their laptops at home and send photos. Upon coming back in November, a ceremony was held at the Don Bosco TV studio in Kep Province, to celebrate life, to celebrate that love, solidarity and peace, go together with the young.