Wondering what to do this weekend? Interested in film?

Why not invite some friends over to your place, cook them dinner and watch a good film…

8 (www.notimeleft.org)

1. A girl is late to school.
2. A man thanks his father for everything he gave him.
3. A woman pursues her dream of happiness.
4. Teenagers have the privilege of being teenagers.
5. A woman goes into labour.
6. A man talks about life with HIV.
7. A group of children organise a concert to make it rain.
8. People from the South fight against being portrayed as victims.

‘8’ is a collection of eight short films, made by eight film directors from Jane Campion and Gael Garcia Bernal to Abderrahmane Sissako and Mira Nair. They are set in Ethiopia, Iceland, the USA, the Peruvian Amazon, Germany, Burkina Faso and Australia.

The films each look at one of the eight Millennium Development Goals.

These goals were launched in 2000, are designed to be met by 2015, and so we are two thirds of the way there this year - and it is vital that they are high on the political agenda and not forgotten.

Film is a great way to raise awareness, get people thinking, talking and taking action. One way to take action now is to make a Big Promise today and set an example to world leaders.

You can also watch the films on Youtube.

• Watched 8?

• Made your Big Promise?

• Feeling inspired?

• Fancy making a short film of your own?

Then take part in Oxfam in Spain’s annual international film making competition, launched this week. This year the theme is poverty; Millennium Development Goal 1 is Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger.

Nearly one billion people in the world live on less than 1 dollar a day, with women accounting for 70% of this figure. Entries should be inspired by the idea that nobody can live on 1 dollar a day, and that changing this reality is a matter of political will.

The competition website has all the details on how to participate (requirements, deadlines, and prizes).

There you go: movie night, taking action, film making – weekend sorted!