The competition, which is organised by the International Association for Women in the Seafood Industry (WSI), allows six months to shoot a short film which highlights the contribution of one woman or several women in the seafood industry. Technical support is provided by MATIS, Iceland, while sponsors include the French Development Agency (AFD) and the International Association of Fisheries Inspectors (IAFI). The winners will be announced in the first week of September.
Women represent 50 percent of employees in the seafood industry but are all too often ignored, invisible and consequently often unrecognised. Participating to the competition produces multiples positive impacts – offering to the women engaged in the films a unique opportunity to explain and share their experiences.
Positive feedback
“I think nobody is aware of how important our work is for the fishing industry,” says Beatriz, the protagonist of 2018's winning video, Puntada Invisible, who has spent 33 years as a net maker on the port of Vigo, Spain.
“Everyone looks at the boat, the skipper, the engine. Nobody gives us the value that I think we deserve. Thanks to the international visibility that the video has produced, we could meet the port authorities and address some of their most immediate demands. At last we have been heard. This was a direct and concrete consequence of the video.”
Neyra Solano, director of COBI and producer of 2018's second-placed video, Mujeres del Mar del Cortés, adds: "As a result of this, many people recognise us and congratulate us for our achievements, especially when they know that our work is already recognised in other countries.”
Kimberly Orren, from NGO Fishing for success, Newfoundland, shares her experience: "Don't miss this opportunity to share your own powerful story about women and fishing with others around the world! The Women in Seafood Video Competition motivated Girls Who Fish to put our story on film and it has generated discussions with so many other like-minded organizations about the role of women in the boat, in food production, and leadership roles."
“This is been an amazing year for us connecting with others from around the world because of this little short film.”
Who can participate?
The competition is open to anyone, regardless of gender - be they an individual or part of a collective or institution. The films must be less than 4 minutes long and describe the life of women in any segment of the seafood industry (fishing, aquaculture, processing, trading, managing and all related activities, including teaching/training).
An international jury of seafood professionals from five continents will select the three best videos. The winners will receive a cash reward: €1,000 euros for the top winner, and €500 euros each for the second and third video selected. The contest closes on 1 August, with the winners announced in early September 2018.
Contacts
Films should be sent to wsi-video@matis.is and queries to contact@wsi-asso.org.
