[Photo: FILE]

The return of the Kula Awards after a seven-year break has attracted an overwhelming response from schools across Fiji, with Film Fiji expecting fierce competition and a showcase of outstanding young creative talent.

Film Fiji Chief Executive Jone Robertson says organisers were surprised by the number of registrations, proving the awards remain highly relevant despite their long absence from the national events calendar.

Robertson says 35 schools have entered the film competition, while about 20 schools registered for the dance category and another 15 for the art competition.

He says the strong turnout exceeded expectations, as organisers initially believed only a small number of schools would return after the lengthy hiatus.

Robertson says audiences can expect students to “come out with a bang”, with energetic dance performances, fresh choreography from a new generation of performers and exceptional artwork produced by teenagers.

He says the quality of entries already received has been remarkable, particularly from students aged 14 and 15, whose artistic abilities deserve greater recognition.

However, Robertson says many young creatives struggle to find opportunities to develop their talents beyond school, resulting in valuable skills being lost.

He says Film Fiji hopes the Kula Awards will become a platform that nurtures emerging artists and filmmakers while helping them turn their creativity into future income-generating careers.

Robertson says the decision to revive the awards was driven by the need to restore a major national event celebrating performing arts.

He says while Fiji hosts several individual arts events throughout the year, there are few that unite film, dance and visual arts on one national stage, and the growth of the country’s creative sector made this the right time to bring the Kula Awards back.

Meanwhile, Kula Awards Broadcast Creative Producer, Andhy Blake, is keeping details of the event under wraps, promising audiences a bigger and better production.

Blake says the public should experience the performances firsthand at the Vodafone Arena for the dance competition and the Japan ICT Theatre for the film screenings, rather than have the surprises revealed in advance.

He says Film Fiji and its partners have spent months working behind the scenes to deliver an unforgettable event, adding that audiences can expect “a great show.”