Istoria Timor Inaugurual Competition Results

Winners:

1. Ha'u Maka Lucas - Teodozio Batista Ximenes


2. Tinan Ikus Iha Kolegio - Marciano da C. Fernandes


3. Tuku 11 - Irim Tolentino


4. Tinta Nurak - Edmundo Corbafo


5. Loron Abang Nakonu ho Esperansa by Atanasio Maria Pinto


6. Matan Ben ho Esperansa - Betty Reis

Runners up (in no particular order):

• Atauro by Amelino Fernandes


• Subar Domin Sai Realidade - Maria Madalena


• Harohan Ida hose Matebian Sira - Fransisco Pinto Amaral


• Lalaok Domin - Flash C. Guterres (Preman 69)

A proper write-up of the event last Saturday will follow.

Invitation: Istoria Timor Award Ceremony - Memorial da Paz, Lecidere. Saturday, August 1, 16:30

Friends,

You are all invited to the Award Ceremony for the inaugural Istoria Timor Writing Competition.

The Istoria Timor project received 10 entries during the competition run in 2008-2009. The novellas, each between 10,000 and 20,000 words, are from a range of genres and were Timorese men and women of all backgrounds and ages. These novellas represent (as far as we are aware) the first long-form, written fiction ever to be widely disseminated in Timor-Leste's indigenous national language: Tetum.

There is $1,300 in prize money to be awarded.

The afternoon will include a theatrical performance by Klibur Artista Teatru no Muzika Timor-Leste, poetry readings by Abe Baretto, Sandra Tilman and Naldo Rei and music from Melchior Dias Fernandes (Mely).

The ceremony will be held at Memorial da Paz, Lecidere (in front of the Bishop's house) from 16:30 to 18:00 on Saturday, August 1, 2009.

Please come and forward this to any and all who may be interested.

John
Istoria Timor

Seeking staff for Timor-Leste's first major soap opera...

English

IOM is making an ambitious 20-episode soap opera for Timor-Leste, with the intention both to 1) entertain and 2) generate reflection about community conflict following the 2006 crisis. Soap operas have been used with great success around the world for spreading information, and now Timor Leste will have it's own!

As such we are looking to fill the following positions for our Production Unit. We are looking for creative, technical and administrative roles, with preference (but not limited to) Timorese nationals. The roles are as follows, with much more detail in the attached job descriptions:

• Television Director


• Production Manager


• Writer/s


• Assistant Director


• Television Editor


• Camera Operator


• Second Camera Operator/Gaffer


• Sound Recordist/Continuity


• Art Director


• Production & Outreach Assistant/s

If you have any ideas for people that might suit these roles, please have them submit their CVs to telenovela@iom.int with the subject line "Telenovela – (Position)" or left for Toby Gibson at the IOM office in Palopaso, Farol before June 25th, 2009. Feel free to forward this message onwards.

Thanks for your time,

Toby Gibson
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Dili, Timor-Leste

Tetum

IOM daudaun ne’e halo hela telenovela ambisioza ida ho epizodiu hamutuk 20. Telenovela ne’e halo ho hanoin rua, maka hanesan: 1) atu fó haksolok, 2) atu hamosu reflesaun ida kona-ba konflitu iha komunidade laran tan krize 2006. Durante ne’e telenovela ema uza iha mundu rai-klaran nu’udar dalan suksesu makaas ida ba halekar informasaun, no loron ohin rai Timór sei iha rasik ninian!

Ne’e-duni, ami daudaun ne’e buka hela ema atu hakonu ami-nia Unidade Produsaun ba pozisaun hirak tuirmai. Ami buka daudaun ema ne’ebé bele hala’o knaar sira be kreativu, tékniku no administrativu liu-liu ba ema Timór-oan, maibé ema rai seluk mós bele aplika. Pozisaun sira ne’e maka hanesan tuirmai (informasaun klean liután bele haree iha Deskrisaun Knaar sira nian nu’udar aneksu):

• Diretór Televizaun (Sutradara)


• Xefe Produsaun


• Hakerek-na’in (Eskritór/Penulis)


• Diretór Asistente (Sutradara Asisten)


• Editór Televizaun


• Operadór Kámera


• Operadór Kámera Segundu/Gaffer


• Rekordista Lian/Kontinuidade


• Diretór Arte (Sutradara Seni)


• Asistente Produsaun & Sensibilizasaun

Se imi hatene ema ruma karik ne’ebé serve ba pozisaun hirak-ne’e, favór haruka sira e-mail sira-nia CV ba telenovela@iom.int ho títulu “Telenovela – (Pozisaun)” ka lori de’it ba Toby Gibson iha eskritóriu IOM, Palapaso - Dili molok loron-20 fulan-Juñu 2009. Halo favór boot ida hatutan informasaun ne’e ba ema seluk.

Obrigadu ba imi-nia tempu,

Toby Gibson
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Dili, Timor-Leste

---

Writer

#003
Grade: GU
Type of Appointment: 12 months, 100%
Estimated Starting Date: June 2009

General Functions

Working closely with the IOM Telenovela Producer and the Director, and in collaboration with a team of Actors, the selected candidate will work towards the production and broadcast of an educational soap opera that will air for one year on television and radio. The educational soap opera will provide a medium of entertainment through which serious issues relevant to national stability can be presented and addressed. Within the post-conflict environment in Timor-Leste, these issues can range from questions of regionalism, the experience of displacement, political partisanship, and the role of youth in society.

Under the supervision of the IOM Telenovela Producer and Director, the selected candidate will be responsible for:

• Writing the scripts for a 20-espisode Timorese soap opera


• Creating vivid characters and dramatic stories that address the two goals of entertainment and education


• Writing original story scenarios for focus-group testing


• Work with other writers to form a cohesive team


• Working with key Actors to 'workshop' and develop characters and story


• Managing extended, complex stories using multiple characters


• Manage the incorporation of differing themes into dramatic material


• Assisting with other aspects of the production where necessary

Desirable Qualifications

(Education, Experience, and Competencies)

a) University degree, diploma or equivalent experience in creative writing or scriptwriting for film or television; b) knowledge of the film-making process; c) demonstrated capacity to create scenarios and dialogue that accurately reflect the fabric of Timorese life; d) thorough knowledge of the Timorese urban environment is highly desired e) Timorese candidates will be preferred.

Excellent communication, writing and imaginative skills. Must be resourceful, creative, efficient and decisive. Ability to effectively multitask and work within a team in order to achieve the designed goals. Ability to find creative solutions to a range of difficulties that can be encounter within a complex and challenging production.

Languages: Fluency in Tetum. Proficiency in English or Bahasa Indonesia a strong asset.

---

Hakerek-na’in ka eskritór

#003
Grau: GU
Tipu Nomeasaun: Kontratu special all inclusive contract
Estimasaun Data Hahú: Juñu 2009
Durasaun: Fulan tolu ho posibilidade hanaruk

Funsaun sira Jerál

Kandidatu be liu sei servisu hamutuk ho Produtór no Diretór Telenovela IOM nian no kolabora ho ekipa Atór sira, sei servisu to’o prosesu produsaun novela edukativu ida hodi ikus fó sai iha televizaun no rádiu durante tinan ida nia laran. Telenovela edukativu ida-ne’e sei sai hanesan meius fó ksolok ida ne’ebé liuhosi meius ne’e maka ita bele aprezenta no responde kestaun sériu relevante kona-ba estabilidade rai-laran nian. Ba situasaun pós-konflitu hanesan Timór, kestaun hirak-ne’e bele kona-ba rejionalismu, esperiénsia moris hanesan dezlokadu, partidarismu polítika, no mós knaar foin-sa’e nian iha nia sosiedade. Sei iha períodu probatóriu fulan rua.

Ho Produtór no Diretór Telenovela IOM nia supervizaun, kandidatu be liu sei responsabiliza ba:

• Hakerek istória ka manuskritu (naskah) sira filme nian ba telenovela ida ho epizodiu 20


• Kria karakter sira be moris no istória sira drámatika ne’ebé responde ba objetivu rua dala ida katak fó haksolok no edukasaun.


• Hakerek senáriu istória (skenario cerita) nian ne’ebé orijinál para halo prova ba grupu foku


• Servisu ho hakerek-na’in ka eskritór siraseluk atu forma ekipa ida be koesiva ka kompak


• Servisu ho Atór sira prinsipál atu ‘aprezenta’ no dezenvolve karakter sira no istória


• Jere istória sira naruk no kompleksu ne’ebé uza karaktér sira barak


• Jere enkorporasaun tema sira diferente ba iha matéria drama nia laran


• Tulun ho aspetu siraseluk produsaun nian bainhira presiza

Kualifikasaun ne’ebé Buka liu

(Edukasaun, Esperiénsia, no Kompeténsia)

a) Lisensiatura, diploma ka esperiénsia ekivalente iha hakerek kreativu ka hakerek istória ba filme ka televizaun; b) hatene kona-ba prosesu halo filme; c) hatudu kapasidade atu kria senáriu no diálogu ne’ebé ho loloos reflete Timór-oan sira nia moris; d) hatene klean situasaun moris Timór-oan nian iha sidade e) kandidatu sira Timór-oan maka ami buka liu.

Iha abilidade komunikasaun, hakerek no imajinativa. Tenke ideia barak, kreativu, efisiente no desisivu. Iha abilidade ba hala’o knaar barak ho efetivu no servisu iha ekipa ida atubele atinje objetivu sira be hatuur ona. Abilidade atu buka solusaun sira kreativu ba problema oin-oin ne’ebé hasoru iha produsaun ida be kompleksu no nakonu ho dezafiu.

Lingua: Hatene ko’alia no kompriende moos Tetun. Hatene lian Inglés ka Indonézia hanesan buat di’ak mós.

Australia East Timor Friendship School Project

In response to the concept note I sent out a few weeks ago, I received an email from Jan Hayes of the Australia East Timor Friendship School Project (FSP) saying that we should apply for funds.

A little more information on FSP follows:

Dear Supporter,

The Australia East Timor Friendship School Project (FSP) was established in Australia in 2003 to create mutual learning opportunities for primary and secondary school communities in Australia and schools in Timor-Leste. Through these activities the project aimed to build generations of international friendship by creating lasting connections and understanding between the students from both countries. Close to 100 Australian schools have taken part in the project, many partnered to a school in Timor-Leste.

For reasons that have been advised previously, we have regrettably come to the conclusion that, due to ongoing difficulties with program delivery in Timor, it is appropriate to wind up AETFSP Ltd activities in Australia. This means that the co-ordination role played by staff in our office at AEU has been discontinued. We know that some schools will continue their relationships with partner schools in Timor-Leste via their local Friendship Group. We are confident that relationships between schools, communities, teachers and students in Australia and Timor-Leste will continue, but in a different form.

Australia East Timor Friendship School Project Ltd currently holds approximately A$40,000, which we intend to distribute as part of the process of winding up the organisation. This document invites groups and organisations working in Timor-Leste to apply for access to this pool for one-off funding for education-related projects.
Details of criteria and the application process are contained in the attached document. Feel free to distribute it to others you feel may be interested in applying.

As you may be aware, the project also generated and distributed a range of curriculum materials and resources. Most of this material is available on line either from the Alola Foundation (see http://www.alolafoundation.org/fsi.php) or the Asia Education Foundation (see http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/public_html/online_resources.htm). There are a few hard-copy resources (books, DVDs etc) in the office. We will be going through those in the next few weeks so if you are interested in taking these types of resources for your future school activities, please let me know.

Thanks for your interest and involvement in the project.

Yours sincerely,

Jan Hayes
Chair
Australia East Timor Friendship School Project Ltd

I'm still looking for an organisation to take over the project for when we leave Timor-Leste in December, but I would happily assist any such organisation in applying for funds through FSP.

Potential assistance from the Australian government

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) administers a program of small grants known as the Direct Aid Program (DAP) that offers grants, typically between $3000 and $10,000 to individuals, community groups and NGOs engaged in development activities, in designated countries, on a not-for-profit basis.

I have heard, informally, from people within the Australian embassy that Istoria Timor is exactly the sort of thing that they look for to fund. As I have said before, my preference is that we can find an organisation with a local office to take over the project from now. While I will not apply for the DAP grant myself, I am certainly happy to help, say, a local NGO apply for funds to take this project to completion.

If anyone is interested, the project is ready to go and there's money out there for it.

Funding

We are ready to present the prizes today (well, as of last week actually), but we chose to schedule the event in August to give me a little time to do some more fundraising.

We hope that we can secure in-principle funding of approximately US$10,000 before the event is to be held. We have some interest from some local organisations and some leads so we'll see how we go.

If you would like to know more about the project and the funding needs for the printing, etc. please see our concept note.

We have a winner

Today the judges met and after lengthy and, at times, heated discussions, Istoria Timor is very, very proud to announce that a winner has been selected.

But, we're not quite ready to announce who that is yet. We will hold an event to announce the winners and hand over the prizes in the near future. Right now this event is tentatively targeted for the afternoon of Saturday August 1, 2009.

In the spirit of volunteerism that is vital to our project (no one, except for the writers, has drawn or will draw a salary from this project up until the editing process begins) we are hoping to find a free venue that has room for whoever wants to turn up. Any tips on locations or offers of help would be very welcome.

In the meantime, I will be working on a funding proposal to try to find someone to print this for us. The short version is that we're looking for an organisation to take over the project from here and print a few of the stories. The indicative budget including editing, printing and royalty payments for 5000 books should be somewhere in the neighbourhood of US$10,000.

The final judging panel consisted of the following people:

• Sr. Abe Barreto Soares


• Sra. Alexandra de Araujo Tilman


• Sr. Livio da Costa


• Sra. Jenny Maria Fatima da Costa Sarmento


• Sra. Jonia do Rosario Leite Soares


• Sr. Naldo Rei

Finalists

As previously published, the first Istoria Timor writing competition has now closed and we have received 10 entries. The entries received are as follows:

• Atauro by Amelino "Ano" Fernandes


• Loron Abang Nakonu ho Esperansa by Atanasio Maria Pinto


• Matan Ben ho Esperansa - Betty Reis


• Tinta Nurak - Edmundo "Cono" Corbafo


• Lalaok Domin - Flash C. Guterres (Preman 69)


• Tuku 11 - Irim Tolentino


• Subar Domin Sai Realidade - Maria "Lena" Madalena


• Tinan Ikus Iha Kolegio - Marciano da C. Fernandes


• Harohan Ida hose Matebian Sira - Fransisco Pinto Amaral


• Ha'u Maka Lucas - Teodozio "Teo" Batista Ximenes

Judges will be selected over the coming weeks and we expect to announce the winners by the end of May 2009.

Judging

We had our coordination meeting last Saturday at Motion in Mercado Lama, the main aim of which was to decide a fair and transparent way to coordinate the judging process.

We were joined by most of the writers, some of their friends, and Maun Abe - a well respected Timorese poet and active member of the artistic community.

I was very keen to ensure that we draw judges from as many walks of life as possible and had come up with all sorts of complicated methods to ensure the balance of men and women, young and old, literary types and non-literary types, and so on. After over an hour of discussing the pros and cons of the different methods, one of the writers interrupted and said "look... We trust you and Maun Abe. How about the two of you get together and work it out yourselves?" Everyone agreed, so that's what we're doing. As most of the judges will be from Maun Abe's and my (considerably smaller) social circle of literary types, this does make it a little less democratic and will make it difficult to get participation from out in the foho. That said, it will be a lot simpler and quicker. Also, Maun Abe and I are very conscious of these limitations, and we think that, with care, we can select a good, balanced panel that will help us pick a winner.

I was in Indonesia for most of last week so we didn't get a chance to meet again yet, but we hope to start contacting people and asking them if they would be willing to be judges this week.

We have taken nominations from the writers and have a few ideas ourselves, but if there are any readers out there have any suggestions or feel qualified themselves then let us know.

Competition closed

The Istoria Timor competition is now closed!

We have received 10 entries and official judging will commence shortly. We're having a coordination meeting this Saturday to work out how the judging is going to work and
generally discuss the project.

The way I hope to judge the project is by putting out a call for judges among the universities and high schools. They will submit a form with their name, age, gender, contact details and 100 words on why they should be a judge. The writers will then pick 10-20 to read all of the stories. We'll give them a month or so to read all of the entries and then take their judgments as final. Of course, these are all my ideas, I'm going to put them to the writers and see what they think.

As Shelley and I are leaving Timor in December, I want this project to be as sustainable as possible. So I'm in no particular hurry to decide on a winner. I want to create a community of writers that could potentially run this competition next year, so I'm going to take it slow and try to get as much of this done by the authors themselves. Conservatively, we should have a winner by late May/early June.

I'll then shop the winner (and possibly the runner up) around to all of the local NGOs to see if we can find someone to print it. The quote we have from a local printing company is that it was cost around $8000 to edit, and then print 5000 copies of the book including layout.

Exciting times.