Creative messages: Secretary for Justice Wong Yan Lung addresses the anti-drug short film competition launch ceremony.

An anti-drug short film competition 2008 aims to encourage young people to engage in healthy activities and showcase their talent while disseminating anti-drug messages.

At the launch ceremony today, Secretary for Justice Wong Yan Lung said he is pleased with the enthusiastic response. He found the storylines of high quality and the presentation creative.

He believed the special treatment and language used for young people in these anti-drug messages will resonate effectively.

As a signature event of the territory-wide anti-youth drug abuse campaign, the competition has two parts. The first is to submit a proposal and short-film storyline; the second involves script writing and the filming.

Sixty-seven entries have been received for the secondary school division and 37 for the open group division. Ten finalists for each division have been shortlisted in the first part of the competition.

Finalists will contend for the championship, the first and second runners-up, the best short film, the best script, the best cinematography and the prize for 'my favourite short film', for which people can cast a vote online.

Workshops have been arranged for the participants to let local filmmakers share their experience. Frontline social workers are invited to share real cases of youth drug abusers to inspire participants' creativity and to help them fully realise the dire consequences of drug abuse.

The competition is organised by the Security Bureau Narcotics Division, the Action Committee Against Narcotics, Radio Television Hong Kong and the Efficiency Unit, and co-organised by the Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild and the Hong Kong Screenwriters' Guild.