The Short Food Movie – Feed your mind, film your planet is a project by Fondazione Cinema per Roma and Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia that aims to connect a worldwide audience by asking them to create a short video (between 30 seconds and a minute) that engages with the theme “Feeding the planet, energy for life”.

This initiative is an international open call for videos, whether filmed professionally or via a camera phone, that will inspire and educate on the topics of nutrition and sustainability. Once uploaded onto the public online platform, selected stories will be brought to life in a spectacular video wall installation at the Expo Milano 2015 – a global work of art that seeks to tell a story with the thousands of images and videos sent from all over the world.

“The themes of nutrition and sustainability are so prevalent at the moment,” says Katey Carson, the African representative for the initiative. “This is the first of its kind – a project that combines commercial value with an important message.”

The Short Food Movie Expo

Though the theme is quite broad, it holds a lot of significance in an African context, says Katey. “The message ‘feeding the planet’ takes on a completely different meaning here than it would in, say, Milan.”

The project also provides a unique opportunity for South Africa to showcase local cuisine and sustainable living initiatives. As participants are permitted to include branding in their videos, members of the local culinary scene – whether restaurateurs or food writers – have a platform to promote themselves to a worldwide audience.

“It’s great exposure, especially for South African cuisine as a whole,” enthuses Katey. “It’s all about how you engage with the topic. Showcase our vibrant culture, be original and don’t be shy to play around – it’s art.”

The closing date for entries is March 2015. Visit the Short Food Movie website for entry guidelines and uploads, like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter. For further queries, contact Katey Carson at kateycarson1@gmail.com.