USAID Mission Director Maureen A. Shauket presented “Junior Oscars” Awards to young Kosovar film-makers at a ceremony on Friday December 6, 2013. The third annual “Junior Oscars” competition  was held amongst 50 schools across Kosovo.  Today’s Award Ceremony attracted 200 students at the ODA Theater. The ceremony also included a screening the winning movies.

USAID’s Basic Education Program sponsors this annual competition to encourage students’ creativity, innovation, teamwork and use of technology.  The themes for this year’s competition included diversity, friends, community, dreams, music and honesty. 50 schools participated in the contest. The winning films, with an average length of 10 minutes each, were screened during “Skena Up,” an international film and theater festival held in Pristina.

The Grade 6-9 winners included:

Best film in English - “Fifteen” from “Emin Duraku” School in Kaçanik,

Best Documentary – “E ardhmja e gjelbër” (The Green Future) from “Green School” in Pristina,

Best Story - “PSE” (Why) from “Shaban Jashari” School in Skendaraj/Srbica,

Best Animation Film made with ALICE software - “Technology”, from “Naim Frashëri” school in Pristina,  and

Best Film Music - “Captain Morgan’s Restaurant” from “Edith Durham” School in Suhareke/Suva reka.