INDIAN-ORIGIN US filmmaker M Night Shyamalan is teaming with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ campaign on a film making contest designed to help get out the vote.
The competition, announced a day after Biden’s first debate against Donald Trump on September 29, is reaching out to aspirant filmmakers to submit a 90 second-long short film about casting their ballot in the upcoming national election.
Participants are being asked to answer a few targeted questions such as: Why are you voting? How are you voting? Who do you want to encourage to vote? What’s your voting story?
The director will review the entries along with members of the Biden-Harris campaign staff to pick three films that will “showcase impact, authentic storytelling and give a clear call to action on voting.”
Winners will get a chance to participate in a virtual meet-up with Shyamalan to talk about art, film and politics. Their videos will be promoted online by the campaign, as well.
Videos can be uploaded directly or shared on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #VoteByNight, on or before October 12.
“This is such a historical moment that we’re in and everyone has a crucial part to play,” Shyamalan, the director of 'The Sixth Sense' and 'Glass', said in a statement.
“Storytelling is at the nucleus of it. We need more (honest) stories about why people are voting or why they may be reluctant to vote. I’d like to be a catalyst for those stories to be told and hopefully inspire change as a result.”
Shyamalan was raised and still resides in Pennsylvania, which is considered to be a key, must-win swing state for Biden’s presidential campaign.
Last month, he announced his next film-Old-which will be released in July 2021. Besides writing and directing the film, Shyamalan will also produce his new film.
His previous feature Glass, released in 2019, was a blockbuster. It was the latest in his film series, Unbreakable.
Zia Yusuf
Sunak with Boris Johnson
Sunak with Suella Braverman