For the third time, a film festival in the East Venezuela Union Mission (UVO) gathered hundreds of viewers, this time at the Casa del Artista in Caracas, for an evening of screening audiovisual productions from that South American country on November 30. The 2024 UVOFILMS gala, which followed the theme, “Family,” didn’t hide its ultimate Christian-faith-based focus.

“Just as Jesus declared that when He was lifted up from the earth, He would attract everyone to him, the goal of our audiovisual productions will always be to exalt Jesus,” said Lenny Hernández, communication director of UVO at the closing of event.

Around 450 people met in person, while the event was also broadcast live for the first time on the UVO YouTube’s channel. In total, 17 productions were screened in four categories: fiction, video clip, documentary, and podcast.

In the three months leading up to the event, over 20 producers participated in workshops and received guidance from jury members and other special guests, including those who did not make the final selection. The evening before the gala, Hernández and Miqueas Fortunato, marketing director of Hope Channel Inter-America, hosted a special meeting with the production teams.

Most Awarded Film

The most awarded short film during the gala was “Reencontrados” (Found Again), produced by the Central Andean Venezuelan Mission, which won five awards and recognition as the best fiction short film. The church field is part of the West Venezuela Union Mission, but was invited to participate.

“Our staff was limited, but it was a great experience,” said director and editor Germán Cárdenas, reflecting on the challenges of bringing the project to life with just ten people. He noted that the toughest part of the production was navigating the Sierra de la Culata mountain range in Mérida, where they filmed at an altitude of about 10,000 feet in freezing conditions. “We spent one full night on the mountain, because we knew the filming would take us two days,” Cárdenas explained.

Producer Johel Cuicas said that “UVOFILMS has left us with valuable teachings that allow us to project ourselves into the future and make a similar festival in our field.” He added, “We want to encourage all churches to participate, especially young people who can use technology to preach the gospel.”

Cuicas shared that it was challenging to come up with a reasonable budget. However, “through this experience, [we discovered] that with just a little we can do great things. No doubt, the Lord led us so we can be a blessing for many,” he said.

Screenwriter Yohama Bastidas explained that the film is inspired by real events, though not all the details are strictly factual, the narrative conveys a powerful message. The story follows two brothers who, once inseparable as best friends, gradually drift apart over time. The film explores their journey and how they ultimately find a path to reconciliation.

The honor roll was completed by the winners of the best video clip by the South Central Venezuela Conference; the best documentary by the South Bolívar Venezuela Mission; and the best podcast by the Las Palmeras Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Each of the production teams were rewarded with high-quality equipment such as professional microphones, cameras, sound recorders, and lighting gear. This year also marked the introduction of the people’s choice awards, where winners were chosen based on votes from viewers on social media platforms.

A Word from the Leaders

“This festival is building a very solid base for audiovisual productions,” Fortunato said. “I see young people very involved and committed. It is something guarantees our present and our future.”

Similarly, Luis Paredes, president of the East Venezuela Union, emphasized the role of technology and media in the mission of the church. “Digital media gives us a platform to reach the crowds in ways that missionaries of the past could only dream of,” he said. “We must keep preaching not only from the podium but from our screens and digital devices.”

Luis Rodríguez, a Venezuelan filmmaker with more than 30 years of experience, congratulated the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the initiative. Rodríguez also shared that he has seen changes for the better since the first time he was invited to the event.

University professor Rubén Serrano agreed. “There have been great advances as regards the themes and techniques,” he said. “Now it’s time to deepen the use of film language, to educate yourselves in the formulas, the forms, the elements, and the details that make up for a better product. These aspects are usually more important than whatever you may try to convey with words,” he said.

The original article was published on the Inter-American Division website.