Scenarios from Africa is inviting young people aged 24 years and younger to submit creative, original ideas for a film of up to 5 minutes in length, about HIV and AIDS. Selected ideas will be adapted by professional scriptwriters, turned into films by some of Africa's current film directors, and broadcast on national and international television.

The idea can take a variety of forms, such as a short story, a comic strip, a song, or a poem. Applicants can record their ideas on an audio or video cassette or CD, complete with music.

Thirty winners, or teams, will each receive a medal, a personalised certificate, a Scenarios from Africa DVD set, a prize of US$125 (EU€100), as well as the possibility to have a film based on their idea made and shown on television. In addition, one of the international contest winners or winning teams will be awarded the grand prize: US$1,500 (EU€1,200). Contest winners will receive their prizes before December 31 2008 at the address they give on their questionnaire. Only one prize will be given to each winning team.

Participants can choose one of the following eight topics proposed by Scenarios from Africa, or come up with an idea of their own:

1. "Write a story for a very short, fast-moving film involving HIV/AIDS and football - a film that you would like to see on TV during halftime of matches of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
2. She's married and has just learned that she's living with HIV. How will she tell her husband? How will he react? In your story, help this couple to deal with the situation in a positive, loving way.
3. Imagine that you had magical powers for a day, and just by lifting a finger you could change all the things in your community, in your culture, that make people vulnerable to HIV infection. Tell a story that describes what you would change and what your new world would be like.
4. Today, your cousin is happy, has many friends, and is at the top of the class in school. It's a remarkable story, given that your cousin lost both parents to AIDS several years ago….
5. This young woman's family is very poor. She's beautiful. And, in a world with HIV, she's without doubt the strongest person you've ever met. Tell her story.
6. As the newly appointed Health Minister of your country, you intend to put an end to the dangerous myths about HIV/AIDS that are so widespread. What are those myths and, as Minister, how will you stop them?
7. Your best friend is living with HIV but refuses to get any help or treatment because he is afraid of how people might react if they knew. Stigma, rejection and discrimination - or at least your friend's fear of those things - could kill him. What do you do?
8. She's your sister, or your daughter, or your wife, or your best friend, and you love her dearly. And she's just been raped. You want love, dignity, good health and justice to prevail in the hours and years to come. Write a story about what you and others do to help her."

Click here for more information on the competition.

Click here to download the contest leaflet in Microsoft Word.

Contestants can take part individually or in a team. Also, if someone would like to take part in the contest, but doesn't write in English, he/she can work together with others. Each team must choose a leader. Participants are encouraged to talk to organisations or individuals in their community who can provide them with good information on AIDS, as they create their scenario.

The participant (or the team leader) must fill in the official contest questionnaire (see below), and submit it with the scenario. Each scenario may be up to 10 pages long (maximum). The length of scenarios recorded on cassettes or CDs may not be more than 10 minutes. The contestant’s name (or the name of the team leader) must be at the top of each page.

Submissions must reach the Scenarios from Africa team, either by post or by email, prior to March 15 2008.

Click here if you want to apply by post. Write out the questionnaire by hand or print it out, fill it in and send it.

Click here if you want to apply by email. Send a completed scenario and questionnaire in an email message or as email attachments.