BET, Black AIDS Institute, Kaiser Family Foundation and YWCA Announce Return of Rap-It-Up/Black AIDS Short Subject Film Competition

BET, Black AIDS Institute, Kaiser Family Foundation and YWCA Announce Return of Rap-It-Up/Black AIDS Short Subject Film Competition

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- BET, the Black AIDS Institute, and the Kaiser Family Foundation announce plans to launch their 2nd Annual Rap-It- Up/Black AIDS Short Subject (RIU/BASS) Film Competition on February 7, 2005. The YWCA USA, the nation's oldest and largest multicultural women's organization in the world, also comes aboard as competition sponsor. Following a successful first year that included more than 600 screenplay submissions, the competition gives potential filmmakers another opportunity at cinematic showmanship while tackling the devastating issue of HIV/AIDS. The film competition seeks to highlight the issue of HIV prevention, testing, treatment and the impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals and families in African- American, Afro-Caribbean, and Afro-Latin communities in the United States.

Last year's RIU/BASS film competition awarded two winners for their powerful portrayal of HIV/AIDS in the Black community. Michelle Taylor and Paul Grant won for their joint script, "Tangy's Song!," which documents the true story of a gospel singer, who is pregnant and living with HIV at the age of 22. Also selected was Tracy Taylor for "Walking on Sunshine," which depicts two sisters who put themselves at risk for contracting HIV in different ways. Both films aired on BET and "Walking on Sunshine" recently received a 2005 NAACP Image Award nomination for "Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special." Winners will be announced during the 36th Annual NAACP Image Awards on March 19, 2005.

This year, submitted entries are expected to evoke fresh and culturally unique storylines that encompass HIV/AIDS issues within the Black community. All entries will be carefully reviewed by a panel of judges, who are prominent figures in entertainment and health. The cable network will broadcast on-air spots promoting the film competition; and prospective filmmakers will have until May 27 to submit their scripts. The winner will be announced on August 8 and will receive up to $25,000 to produce their winning short film. The winning film will air on BET sometime around World AIDS Day on December 1, 2005, and be submitted to independent film festivals around the world.

African Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, accounting for more AIDS diagnoses, HIV-related deaths, and people living with AIDS than any other racial or ethnic group in the U.S. The share of AIDS diagnoses among African Americans has risen from 25% of cases diagnosed in 1985 to 49% in 2003. African-American women are especially affected accounting for two- thirds (67%) of new AIDS cases among women in 2003 (white women accounted for 15% and Latinas 16%).

"In 2005, HIV still poses a significant threat to African Americans and young adults," said Kelli Richardson Lawson, BET's Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications. "BET believes in the importance of disseminating effective messages to educate viewers about this deadly epidemic. The film competition provides an excellent platform for filmmakers to incorporate informative tools to help curb risky sexual behavior and attitudes."

"We are excited about the return of the RIU/BASS film competition and are extremely excited to extend an opportunity again for amateur filmmakers to showcase their talent," stated Phill Wilson, Executive Director of the Black AIDS Institute. "The film competition also serves as an excellent platform for educating young adults about the devastating affects of HIV/AIDS."

"The film competition has quickly established itself as a powerful way to bring compelling HIV-themed stories to African Americans throughout the U.S.," said Tina Hoff, Vice President and Director of Entertainment Media Partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation. "The film competition is a great example of what makes Rap-It-Up so successful at informing BET's viewers about HIV/AIDS".

"The YWCA USA is proud to become a partner in an effort that educates the community about the disproportionate effect of HIV/AIDS on African-American families," stated YWCA USA CEO Peggy Sanchez Mills. "We hope that the winning short film makes people more conscious of their own sexual behavior and helps them in leading a healthy lifestyle, which is something YWCA has been promoting for more than 140 years."

Following is information regarding the application process and competition deadlines:

*Competition Deadlines: The RIU/BASS competition is open to all races
and ethnicities; however submissions are to
address the issue of HIV/AIDS and the Black
community. The film competition begins February
7, 2005 and ends May 27, 2005. Early submission
deadline is May 2 ($50 entry fee); the
submission deadline is May 27 ($75 entry fee).
The 10 finalists will be announced on July 15;
and the winner will be announced on August 8,
2005.

*Application Guidelines: The application package is available for
download at http://www.bet.com/rapitup and
http://www.blackaids.org/; or can be obtained by
mailing a request to the Rap-It-Up/BASS Film
Competition; c/o Tracy Taylor, Competition
Coordinator; 1833 West Eighth Street, Suite 200;
Los Angeles, CA 90057-4920. Five copies of the
completed application package are to be mailed
to the Rap-It-Up/BASS Film Competition; c/o
Tracy Taylor, Competition Coordinator; 1833 West
Eighth Street, Suite 200; Los Angeles, CA
90057-4920.

*General Information: Competition information can be found at
http://www.bet.com/rapitup or
http://www.blackaids.org/. Specific questions
can be directed to toll-free number,
1-877-757-AIDS (2437).



Additional partners for the Rap-It-Up/BASS Film Competition include the American Black Film Festival, Black Hollywood Resource and Educational Center Film Movement, the Jamerican Film Festival and the Pan-African Film Festival.

ABOUT RAP-IT-UP

Since 1997, the Kaiser Family Foundation and BET: Black Entertainment Television have partnered on an extensive public education campaign to inform young people about sexual health issues, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs). The partnership includes special programming, public service advertisements (PSAs), online content on bet.com, and a free resource and referral service. In 2000, the campaign launched a grassroots initiative to complement the on-air and online components of Rap- It-Up. Program elements include teen forums, mobile HIV testing events, and a middle and high school curriculum on HIV/AIDS. The campaign was nominated for an Emmy for Best National Public Service Announcement in 2002 and 2001, and has received numerous other awards, including the 2002 Cable Positive POP Award for Outstanding Newsmagazine Series, the 2002 CTPAA Joel Berger Award, the 2002 NAACP Image Award, the 2002 Academy of Television Arts & Science TV Cares "Ribbon of Hope" Award, and the 2002 NBACA Community Service Award.

ABOUT BET

BET, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE: VIA; VIA.B), is the nation's leading television network providing quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs programming for the African-American audience. The BET Network reaches more than 79 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is a dominant consumer brand in the urban marketplace with a diverse group of branded businesses: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks - BET Jazz, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, specializing in a full range of event production services, including event management, venue selection, talent recruitment, sound, lighting and stage production; and BET Books, the nation's leading publisher of African-American themed romance novels under the Arabesque imprint which also publishes compelling fiction under the Sepia imprint and inspirational fiction and nonfiction under the New Spirit imprint.

ABOUT THE BLACK AIDS INSTITUTE

The Black AIDS Institute is a training and mobilization center focused exclusively on Black people. The Institute's mission is to stop the AIDS pandemic in Black communities by engaging and mobilizing Black institutions and individuals in efforts to confront HIV. The Institute interprets public and private sector HIV policies, conducts trainings, offers technical assistance, disseminates information and provides advocacy from a uniquely and unapologetically Black point of view.

ABOUT THE HENRY J. KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation dedicated to providing information and analysis on health issues to policymakers, the media, and the general public. It is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries. Information on HIV/AIDS is available at http://www.kff.org/, and a daily news summary report on developments in HIV/AIDS is available on http://www.kaisernetwork.org/, the Foundation's free health information service.

ABOUT YWCA USA

Founded in 1858 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the YWCA is a women's membership movement whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women. Strengthened by diversity, the YWCA draws together members who strive to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power to attain a common vision: peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all people. The YWCA represents approximately 2 million women, girls and their families in the United States and 25 million women worldwide. The YWCA has nearly 300 associations throughout the United States. The World YWCA is at work in more than 100 other countries. For information about the YWCA, visit our Web site, http://www.ywca.org/, or contact the YWCA USA at 202-467-0801.


Source: BET (Black Entertainment Television)

CONTACT: Lyntina Townsend of BET, +1-202-608-2745,
lyntina.townsend@bet.net; or Rob Graham of the Henry J. Kaiser Family
Foundation, +1-650-854-9400, RobG@kff.org

Web site: http://www.bet.com/
http://www.blackaids.org/
http://www.ywca.org/
http://www.kff.org/
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/


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