Philippine Documentary on Child Malnutrition wins 2013 Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award
2013-10-24
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Hong Kong, 24 October 2013 – ’Reel Time: Bone Dry‘, a documentary made by GMA Network highlighting child malnutrition in Philippines, where two in ten children are undernourished, has won the 2013 Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award for oadcasting. Filmed in the Tondo district of Manila, one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the country, the documentary tells the story of Mary Rose, a girl from a very poor family living in a slum. Although Mary is 10, her height and weight are comparable to that of a 5-year old child. She lives with her five siblings, who have all been diagnosed as severely malnourished. |
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Mary said: “When I go to school, sometimes I get dizzy. I fall asleep on my chair in classroom because I haven't eaten. I don't get to eat because my mom doesn't have any money.” Despite this, Mary has never stopped pursuing her two greatest dreams in life – to finish her studies and to find out what chicken tastes like. ‘Reel Time: Bone Dry’ was praised by the jurors for addressing the issue of hunger very successfully. There is strong footage documenting seriously impoverished families who cannot afford to eat. It is hard hitting and difficult to watch but it is something that everyone should see.
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According to the winning producing team: “Filming the family’s daily routine was heart-eaking for all of us. It was never easy to document how Mary Rose and her younger siblings eat only once a day and yet the mother, already calloused from the daily hardships that they face, seemed unworried about the situation. After showing the documentary, many viewers were touched by Mary Rose's story. Now an American couple is sponsoring Mary Rose and her family.” | |
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Dr Javad Mottaghi, Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, said that the winning documentary showed the power that a simple documentary style could ing to even the smallest story. “The subject, Mary Rose, has almost nothing: no money, little food, a bare education and realistically a bleak future, yet this documentary for a short time elevates her to represent all the millions of children who live mostly on hope,” he said. “This short film is an example to all of us in the industry of how our program-making tools can be properly used with simplicity, skill and compassion.” |
For more information about the Award, this year’s finalists, and a Q&A with the winner, please visit: http://www.childrightsaward.org