Anita Abada’s ‘Efun’ has emerged winner of the Special Prize Award For “Health Educational Film For Youth” at the 2021 WHO Health For All Film Festival.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, made the announcement in his speech posted on the UN health agency website.
Ghebreyesus said Abada became winner of the special prize for a health educational film for youth, titled: “Efun”.
The DG said “Efun”, directed by Abada, focused on the challenging topic of Female Genital Mutilation.
Ghebreyesus, said the winners would receive trophies and a grant of $10,000 to invest in further audiovisual production on health today.
On receiving the award, Anita Abada stated on her Twitter page:
“”Efun” is a coming of age short film – As part of tradition to achieve womanhood, a young girl is forced to undergo Female Genital Mutilation even though she believes she has the right to make decisions about her own body.
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This short film brings to fore a common practice – FGM, which is prevalent in Africa, Middle East and Asia. It furthers the discourse on girl child/women right. I am excited that more people; youths and women will get to see this film globally and the impact this would make, while we push for a system that allows women a right to making their own choices.
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Big thanks to the @worldhealthorganisation team , and to the Director General of WHO for the special mention.
To my team; I would never have achieved this without the efforts of three amazing men who keyed into this theme and helped in bringing this to life with their skills; @omoregieosakpolor (DOP), Silas Abada (Editor) and Ejiro Stephen (Lightman). ❤
Thanks to the new faces that also featured on the short film; Esther as Iye and Ijeoma as young girl.
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This is an opportunity for impact that I do not take for granted. To more impacts.”
According to Tedros Ghebreyesus:
“For each of the three main categories there was a grand prix winner as well as a special mention from the jury.”
Also, he said Chipatala cha pa Foni emerged winner of the universal health coverage category and the work shone light on the phone-based health service Chipatala cha pa Foni in Malawi.
It was submitted and directed by Village Reach, an NGO in Malawi, and produced by Hope Ngwira, Kat Tillman and Lindi van Niekirk.
The winner of the grand prix in the category of universal health coverage was the animated film “Phosphôros”.
“Phosphôros” is a beautiful tribute to the health workers in El Salvador saving lives during the COVID-19 pandemic and it was directed by Susana Beatriz Serrano, also from El Salvador.
The director-general, therefore, thanked everyone who participated in the 2021 Health for All Film Festival.
He also appreciated the 1,200 filmmakers, who shared their work with WHO, the jury members, who gave their time and expertise, and the workforce across the world that made it all possible.
“We launched the festival in 2020 as the world was facing the shared threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lesson has been strong and clear: the only way to take on shared threats is to work together, in solidarity.
The WHO Health for All Film Festival was founded on the idea that solidarity begins with shared experience.
The individuals and communities who are sharing their stories in this festival are shining a powerful light on the different ways that people around the world experience health and health care.”
