Return to Transcripts main page
NEWS STREAM
World Headlines; Rohingya Crisis; China's Ride-Hailing Murder; GIPHY Film Festival. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired August 27, 2018 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:00:00] KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and welcome to "News Stream."
Genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The U.N. Says Myanmar's top military generals must be prosecuted by an international court.
Global tributes for John McCain who was praised as a U.S. patriot, a maverick and an American hero, and we hear from a man who knew him as a
fellow prisoner of war in Vietnam.
And trouble for DiDi. China's ride-hailing app suspends its car pooling service after a violent crime.
After more than a year of brutal violence gripping western Myanmar, hundreds of thousands fleeing their homes and relentless efforts to collect
testimony and evidence, U.N. investigators are accusing Myanmar's top military brass of genocide. A new and damning report details allegations of
murder, imprisonment and rape, and says that they, quote, "undoubtedly amount to the gravest crimes under international law."
For more on the significance of this report, let's bring in Alexandra Field. She is reporting extensively on the crisis in Rakhine State that has
spilled over into neighboring Bangladesh. She joins us now live. And Alex, U.N. investigators, they have finally gone ahead to accuse Myanmar's top
military leaders of genocide. Walk us through the alleged crimes and who they are blaming?
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is really a blistering and scathing report, Kristie. The question now is whether or not it will bring
any justice for the Rohingya people, a Muslim minority group that has largely fled Myanmar under the intense military campaign that unfolded
against them last summer.
We watched as hundreds of thousands of Rohingya escaped, running for their lives, crossing from Myanmar into Bangladesh. This report now makes even
clearer what they were facing at home in Myanmar. Myanmar's military has said that they had launched the campaign last summer against militants who
launched an attack on border security posts.
Now, this fact-finding mission is saying that that response from the military was grossly disproportionate, involving gang rape, sexual assault,
assault on children, indiscriminate killings of civilians and settings of entire villages on fire. This is all the kind of information that we had
heard from those who fled Myanmar but certainly it is all being documented in this report.
There was no cooperation from Myanmar. The investigators were not allowed into the country, but investigators conducted hundreds of interviews. They
looked at pictures. They looked at videos. They looked at satellite images and they have concluded that it is Myanmar's military chief and his top
generals who should be investigated and prosecuted for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Certainly as the report points out, the most
grave violations of international law, Kristie.
LU STOUT: And Alex, this report is also very critical of Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. What does this mean for her?
FIELD: Certainly Aung San Suu Kyi has faced mounting international criticism since this humanitarian crisis began to unfold last summer.
(Inaudible) people leaving Myanmar by the hundreds of thousands and taking up spots in these refugee camps that were springing up along the border in
Bangladesh.
She faced a great deal of criticism as a global human rights icon for failing to condemn the attacks against the Rohingya, for failing to make a
more full-throated (ph) defense of them. This report does also name Aung San Suu Kyi. It is clear in pointing out that civilian officials in that
country do not have the scope to limit military campaigns, but it does say that she had the moral authority which she could have used which would have
made a difference here.
So it certainly goes after a failure to act. She may not control the military in that country as we know, but they said that it was an absence,
a moral failure essentially that could have contributed to a more positive outcome here. So, some scathing words for Aung San Suu Kyi herself in this
report as well.
LU STOUT: Alexandra Field, reporting for us live. Thank you. And do stay with "News Stream" because in about 30 minutes -- about 20 minutes or so
we're going to be speaking with the chair of the U.N. Independent Fact- Finding mission on Myanmar which compiled this report.
Now to the U.S. where a week of tributes is set for political giant and American war hero John McCain. The longtime Republican senator will lie in
state at the U.S. capitol on Friday followed by a memorial service at the National Cathedral on Saturday. McCain will then be laid to rest on Sunday
at the Naval Academy cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland. And tributes have been pouring in not just from the U.S. but from all around the world.
[08:05:01] The prime minister of Britain, Theresa May, called McCain a great statesman. The president of Slovakia said he was a man of courage and
strong principles.
With more on the global reaction to the passing of John McCain, CNN's Nic Robertson joins us from London. Nic, world leaders from all over the world,
they have offered their remembrances, their tributes, calling John McCain a defender of freedom, a great statesman. How do you interpret those
tributes?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, I mean look, John McCain was well known around the world. He travelled extensively,
putting forward the United States position, listening to the United States allies about their needs, what they would require help with, and taking
their voices back again to the United States. And he was very robust in his foreign policy views.
We heard from the Afghan president over the weekend, calling Senator McCain a friend of Afghanistan, you know, who looked -- tried to look out for the
country, was trying to do good for the country. This is a very typical of what we've heard from either, you know, from Ukraine, from Ukraine's
leaders, Georgia's leader -- leader of Georgia, Baltic states, all across Europe, Colombia as well, India as well, Israel as well.
So many people have sort of outpoured, leaders have outpoured, their thoughts and condolences and respect for Senator McCain, but there is an
underlying threat. A lot of it talks about McCain, as you said there from Theresa May, as being a statesman. And of course in these tweets, leaders,
you know, can choose their words very carefully for tweets.
But there is an underlying threat in some of these statements, and it seems to be if you will an indirect criticism of President Trump at the same
time. Let me read to you what Theresa May had to say here. "John McCain was a great statesman, as we've said, who embodied the idea of service over
self. It was an honor to call him a friend of the U.K. My deepest sympathies go to his family and the American people."
Remembering here that Theresa May had a very difficult relationship, particularly recently with President Trump, but I think when we heard from
-- what we heard rather from the former British prime minister Tony Blair, from the Slovak president and from the German foreign minister in
particular, all of them talking about the importance of the transatlantic alliance when Germany itself is being heavily criticized by President Trump
about his contributions towards NATO.
And raising President Trump's very sort of fundamental, if you will, thoughts towards NATO and the transatlantic alliance. What the German
foreign minister said in his tweet, again, transcends just a message about Senator McCain. Let me read it to you. "John McCain was a convinced
advocate of a strong and reliable transatlantic partnership, especially in difficult times. He believes in our shared values and principles. We will
always remember his voice."
So I think what we're hearing across the board are undertones of what frustrates many world leaders about President Trump as well as praise, of
course, for Senator McCain.
LU STOUT: Nic Robertson sharing some of the global tributes coming in. Nic, thank you.
John McCain is survived being shot down over North Vietnam. He endured more than five years as a prisoner of war. A retired Air Force Colonel, John Fer
was a cellmate of McCain's while held captive in Vietnam. He joins us now live from Baltimore, Maryland. And colonel, first, thank you so much for
joining us here on the program. This is a tremendous loss.
JOHN FER, POW CELLMATE OF JOHN MCCAIN IN VIETNAM: It is my --
LU STOUT: And I wanted to ask you how --
FER: It's my pleasure to be here.
LU STOUT: Yes, and your memories, just how are you and how will you remember John McCain?
FER: Well, I will remember him first of all as a good friend, a patriotic American who always put the nation's objectives ahead of his own. It was
always in his discussions with me stressing, serving a cause greater than one's self. I think he lived it. I think it even transcended his public
life into the family. He was a wonderful family man, a husband, a father, and so I will always remember him for the sterling example that he set for
all of us.
LU STOUT: You described John McCain as a good friend who put service above self and you became friends with John McCain under extreme circumstances
and very brutal conditions in that prison of war camp in North Vietnam. What are your memories of being together there at that time?
[08:09:49] FER: Well, what I remember in the two years or so that we shared either one of the larger rooms or adjacent solitary confinement
cells was that John's intellect, his understanding of what it took for all of us to work together over there to resist the exploitation for propaganda
purposes, which is what we were isolated to achieve for the communist.
Divide and conquer in other words, and our organization, the 4th POW -- Allied POW Wing, was a formalized form of resistance and being loyal to our
principles and the oath which we took when we came on active duty in the military.
LU STOUT: As POW's, you became friends and you continued to become friends and you kept in contact after you were released. And I was wondering if you
can give us a sense of what it was like to interact with John McCain, you know. What was he like as a friend? What was his sense of humor like?
FER: Well, in interacting with John, he was a person of vast capabilities and achievements. I used to talk with him at great length about his
grandfather, his father and their influence on his life in educating him and ensuring that he became a good naval officer which he did.
And his sense of humor, his sense of humor was probably the overriding example of how we survived in those desolate circumstances. John could tell
an anecdote. He used to tell funny stories on himself. He used to give us examples of his own self-effacing nature.
First, let me give you an example. His second book came out, oh, about 15 years go or so, something like that. And I went over to the book signing,
which was one of our local bookstores. And lurking behind one of the book stacks was a lady who didn't want to be known, and so she shouted out at
John as he was signing our books. She said, "Senator McCain, I understand that you're the Manchurian candidate, you were brainwashed by the North
Vietnamese communists."
And John, without missing a beat shouted out to her, "Yes, I am," and he went right back and signed the books and continued on his ways. So, you
know, he could just let it all run off his back. He could turn it on himself. He used to quote Damon Runion and some of the things that he wrote
on about Broadway and the nicknames that Runion gave to some of his characters and things like that. So, you know, he was a very light-hearted
man yet he could be serious as you know on the floor of the Senate.
LU STOUT: Colonel John Fer, thank you so much for joining us here on the program and sharing us your memories of John McCain and the life as you put
it, the sterling life of this man, John McCain. Thank you so much for joining us and take care.
FER: Thank you.
LU STOUT: Now, while so many of us across the world are mourning the death of John McCain, flags fly at half-staff in honor of the politician and war
hero including at the White house. The response from the president is raising eyebrows. CNN has learned that the White House drafted a statement
for Mr. Trump specifically praising Senator McCain but it was never sent out.
So "The Washington Post" reported that the president chose to release a brief tweet on McCain's death against protocol and the advice of senior
aides. The tweet failed to mention McCain's military and political careers, offered no praise for the senator. And Trump also put out an Instagram post
of the photo of himself instead of John McCain.
Pope Francis has returned to Rome after his weekend visit to Ireland but claims that he ignored allegations of abuse by church clergy for years are
shadowing him. The pope says he will not comment on a letter by a former Vatican official claiming he told Pope Francis about allegations of abuse
against a cardinal in 2013.
The ex-official says the pontiff did nothing, he's calling on the pope to resign. Our Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher joins us from Rome. And
Delia, this new letter, it's an explosive one. It claims that the pontiff knew about some serious abuse allegations involving a U.S. cardinal. What
does it allege?
DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kristie, it's an 11-page letter by the pope's former envoy to the U.S. in which he names a number of
Vatican officials both past and present including the pope, of course, for having known about the sexual abuse and harassment on the part of former
Cardinal McCarrick for years.
[08:15:11] And in particular he says he spoke to the pope about it in the first year of the pope's pontificate in June of 2013. Pope Francis
returning from Ireland last night on the papal plane had a chance to address that, as you mentioned. He said he will not speak about it. He
thinks the letter speaks for itself. He told journalists to study it carefully and make up their own minds and perhaps he said, Kristie, he
might speak on it on a future date. Kristie?
LU STOUT: Now, in Ireland he wrapped up that visit over the weekend. The pontiff met with victims there. He begged for God's forgiveness there. He
showcased empathy and remorse but for many did that ultimately fall short of what they wanted to hear?
GALLAGHER: Well, the short answer is yes. We heard from many people in Ireland that they didn't really want more words of apology, although those
are always appreciated and there were certainly several heartfelt poignant moments there in Ireland, but they wanted action. And that's obviously not
just in Ireland. We've heard that throughout the years now from the United States, from Australia and in different places.
And the action, of course, is about transparency. They want to know what happened when, who knew what when and what the Vatican is doing about it.
Not just in those individual countries, Kristie, but we're talking about an international plan on the part of the Vatican, mandatory reporting,
mandatory accountability. That's kind of the action plan that people are calling for and they are still not clear from the Vatican how that is
happening.
LU STOUT: The visit, the letter, all raising questions about transparency and accountability. Delia Gallagher, reporting live for us. Thank you.
You're watching "News Stream." And still to come right after the break, police in Florida search for a motive in a deadly mass shooting at a video
game tournament. We'll have the latest on the investigation in Jacksonville. That's next.
Also ahead, a crisis moment in Venezuela. Hundreds of thousands are fleeing the crushing economy there, but now its neighbors are struggling to deal
with the exodus of migrants.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. This is "News Stream."
Now, once again police in the U.S. state of Florida are investigating a mass shooting. At least two people were killed after police say a young man
opened fire and then killed himself at a video game tournament in Jacksonville. Police identified the gunman as a 24-year-old gamer from
Baltimore, Maryland, but have not yet released a possible motive. Nearly a dozen people were injured.
[08:20:00] For more on this developing story, Rosa Flores joins me from Jacksonville. And Rosa, tell us more about the shooter, who is he and why
did he open fire at this video game tournament?
ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Kristie, authorities are still trying to figure out the motive here, but we do know more about the
shooter. As you mentioned, a white male, 24 years of age, his name is David Katz out of Baltimore, Maryland, and he was a known gamer. He was a
champion from 2017 of one of the Madden video games.
And so he was known in this community and he was here in Jacksonville, Florida for this tournament. He traveled here for that. Now, the gunshots
rang out about 1:30 yesterday. And we have some video because the audio of the shots was actually captured on video. So before you see this, I have to
warn you, that it's very disturbing.
And also, what you're looking on this screen is the actual game because this is a football video game. And as you watch this video, you'll notice
that you see the video game and then the gunshots ring out. Again, this video and this audio is disturbing. Take a listen.
(BEGINV VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to be hard to get them all three. That's a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not a tough out today. Excuse me, not an easy out.
(GUNSHOTS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (BLEEP) What did you shoot me with? Oh!
(GUNSHOTS)
(SCREAMING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FLORES: As you might imagine, it was a very chaotic scene. Dozens of people started running out of this facility to this area where I'm standing
at right now. And Kristie, there is something to note, there were seven firefighters who were training in a building that's literally right in
front of me, right behind my camera.
They ran to the scene. They started treating some of them, started treating people here outside. Three of them ran to the scene, not knowing what was
going on exactly but to try to save lives. Kristie?
LU STOTU: Wow. They always say, always look out for the heroes, the helpers, people when they hear the gunshots going towards the gunshots to
help people out. Incredible to hear that. And sadly, Rosa, we know that Florida has seen multiple mass shootings in the last couple of years. Our
viewers know Parkland, they know the Pulse, the list sadly goes on. Is this latest incident there in Jacksonville getting people to talk once again
about the gun debate?
FLORES: You know, the gun debate doesn't leave us here in America, Kristie. As you know, because we have covered so many of these shootings,
there's so many shootings happening in the United States, it's definitely - - it reignites the conversation about the gun debate. And it's a very polarizing issue here in the U.S.
And here we are again in Florida, as you mentioned, we talked during the Parkland shooting over a year ago -- excuse me, earlier this year, and here
we are again in another location, in Florida, talking about another mass shooting.
LU STOUT: Yes, a terrible situation. More gun violence in the U.S. state of Florida. Rosa Flores, reporting live for us from Jacksonville. Thank
you.
Immigration officials from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, they will meet in Bogota on Monday to discuss what the U.N. Migration Agency is now calling a
crisis moment in Venezuela. A deepening recession in the country has brought with it hyperinflation, which the IMF projects to reach almost
14,000 percent this year.
Mass unemployment and food and medicine shortages as well. The U.N. Refugee Agency says half a million Venezuelans entered Ecuador via Colombia this
year alone and more than 1.6 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2015.
Now, Jorge Louis Perez Valery, he joins me now from Venezuela's capital of Caracas. Jorge, thank you for joining us here on the program. We've been
reporting on the exodus of Venezuelans. It has gained pace and turned into an immigration crisis. I know officials are gathering to talk about the
issue today. How are they going to address this?
JORGE LOUIS PEREZ VALERY, JOURNALIST: That is the big question of today's meeting in Bogota, Kristie. Officials are trying to coordinate measures to
attend one of the biggest immigration movements that Latin American have experienced in the past decade. According to the United Nations, more than
2.3 million Venezuelans are leaving abroad.
And as you said, 1.6 of them just escaped the country in the past -- this year amid one of the worst economic crisis that this country has ever
experienced in its history. We are just waiting more information about this meeting where immigration officials from these three countries are
gathering in Bogota.
[08:25:07] And it's important to remark what is the position of the Venezuelan government because they insist that this is -- there's no
humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, that the people that are fleeing the country, they are not -- they are doing it because they are being
influenced by foreign power, foreign media.
So the Venezuelan government is pretty much denying what's going on while these other countries are gathering, trying to find a measure to contain
this big immigration movement.
LU STOUT: Yes, and other countries are gathering together because this has been an issue not just for the people of Venezuela but for its neighbors as
well, like Colombia, like Brazil or through Colombia and Ecuador. What has this exodus meant to those countries? Has it brought instability there?
VALERY: Yes. The thing is that there are so many people leaving the country that they are getting to this country, trying to find an
employment, trying to find a job opportunity, trying to find something that can make them have some income to then send here Venezuela.
But the thing is that this country has stated that they do not have, for example, enough job positions for this amount of people that is entering in
these three countries. Let's remind the United Nations are saying 90 percent of the people that is leaving Venezuela is going to these
countries.
This is, of course, costing a lot of travel while these countries itself, themselves, are trying to, you know, deal with their own internal problem.
Latin America is known for having a large poor population, for having high unemployment rates. So, it's another problem that is adding to them when
they are receiving all these people coming from this country from Venezuela.
LU STOUT: That's right. They're just streaming to absorb all these economic migrants, these refugees from Venezuela. Jorge, we'll leave it at
that, but thank you very much for your reporting.
You're watching "News Stream." Ans still ahead, the United Nations takes the unusual step of calling out Myanmar's top generals by name, saying that
they should be investigated for genocide. I'll be speaking with the chair of the U.N. investigative panel about their conclusions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lou Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream" and these are your world headlines.
America will pay tribute to John McCain over the next week. Memorials will be held in McCain's home state of Arizona. Later in the week, he will lie
in state at the U.S. Capitol before being laid to rest at the naval academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
[08:30:04] The longtime senator and Vietnam war veteran died of brain cancer on Saturday at the age of 81.
Pope Francis says he will not say a single word about a former archbishop's letter, calling for his resignation. The letter accuses him of knowing
about sexual abuse allegations against a U.S. cardinal for years, but doing nothing about it. The pope told reporters on his way back to Italy from
Ireland that people should make their own judgment about the letter.
Neil Simon, one of the most prolific playwrights in American history has died. Simon was behind classic comedies including "The Odd Couple,"
"Barefoot in the Park," and "Brighton Beach Memoirs." During his career, he earned 16 Tony nominations and won three. He also received four Oscar
nominations as well as a Pulitzer Prize. Simon was 91.
The United Nation says Myanmar's top generals should be investigated and prosecuted for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes over
events in Rakhine State. It recommends the situation be referred to the international criminal court.
To find out more about the significance of the U.N.'s new report, I spoke just a short time ago with Marzuki Darusman. He is a lawyer and human
rights campaigner, and he is also the chair of the U.N. Independent International Fact-Finding mission on Myanmar.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARZUKI DARUSMAN, CHAIRPERSON, INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL FACT-FINDING MISSION IN MYANMAR: The report does cover a wider range of crimes,
according to international law. And that is a part from genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
And, therefore, focusing on those most responsible for the atrocities, it's led us to the conclusion that the main institution and personality that
would have to be made comfortable to these actions reside within the institution of the (INAUDIBLE) armed forces of the country.
As regard to Miss Aung San Suu Kyi, it's our sense that the state council could have done more than what she had done in trying to stem the tide and
to address the situation in a much more effective way, considering that she has that moral authority to effect policies that could be undertaken to
address the situation effectively.
The fact that that was not the case is a disappointment to the fact-finding mission. Whether or not she is culpable of that, we'll have to be looked
into by a court of law eventually.
LU STOUT (on camera): A referral to the ICC would need the backing of five security council members. Would China, would Russia agree to that?
DARUSMAN: Well, we did call in our press release for the matter to be referred to the ICC and as things stand at the moment, it can only be the
Social Security Council that undertakes this. We are also appealing to the Security Council to do its task and that is to defer Myanmar to the ICC.
We are aware, of course, of the dynamics within the Security Council, but we may not want to just prejudge and to preempt the council's work.
And we leave it up to the Security Council to make that decision, but taking into account, of course, that it is incumbent upon the Security
Council to address this matter in a way that meets its obligations and duties as the Security Council to preserve peace and uphold human rights.
LU STOUT (on camera): Marzuki Darusman, chair of the Fact-Finding Mission in Myanmar. Thank you for joining me, sir.
DARUSMAN: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Now, in the wake of this report, Facebook is taking a stand. It banned 20 individuals and organizations in Myanmar from its platform,
including the army's commander in chief. In a statement, Facebook says, it's part of its efforts to prevent the spread of hate and misinformation.
A total of 18 Facebook accounts, one Instagram account, and 52 Facebook pages followed by almost 12 million people were all taken down.
Now, China's biggest ride-hailing company is suspending its carpool service after a driver was accused of raping and killing a female passenger on
Friday.
[08:35:05] Didi Chuxing has put its Hitch service on hold for the second time in just a matter of months for the exact same reason. CNN's Steven
Jiang reports from Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVEN JIANG, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Kristie, disturbing details are emerging over the latest incident. State media say a young woman left her
house on Friday afternoon with her mom watching her get into the suspect's car as she was supposedly on her way to a friend's birthday party in
another town. She never made it.
Police say the driver first robbed her by forcing her to transfer about 1,300 U.S. dollars into his bank account before he brutally raped and
killed her, dumping her body on the roadside.
The suspect, a 27-year-old man, was arrested on Saturday, but a story continues to attract huge attention and anger across China because Didi had
previously pledged to close all of its security loopholes after another killing of a female passenger back in May.
The company has apologized profusely over the latest tragedy and promised to work with the police and seek adequate settlement with the victim's
family. Now, the company is best known for driving Uber out of the Chinese market. It has grown tremendously since, valued at $56 billion in December.
As it continues to fast expand both nationwide and worldwide, millions of Chinese now depend on this platform on a daily basis. That's why they're
shocked and disgusted by this latest incident.
Many feel not only that the company's much-touted high-tech security features fail to prevent this case, but the company was too slow in
responding to a complaint against the driver the day before and also it took too long to hand over the driver's information in the latest incident
to the local police.
So, as the company again promised to fix its security problems, many Chinese users remain highly skeptical. Kristie?
LU STOUT: All right. CNN's Steven Jiang reporting there. Now, if you are one of those people who has a hard time paying attention long enough to
watch an entire movie, then GIPHY, they have just a thing for you. A film festival. What artists are saying in 18 seconds or less, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Welcome back. Now, our attention spans, they seem to be getting shorter and shorter, and now the gift-sharing company, GIPHY, is launching
a film festival that is catering to just that. In fact, it is offering $10,000 price for the best microfilm. It is a movie that must be 18 seconds
long or less.
Tiffany Vazquez is a spokeswoman for the GIPHY film festival. She joins us now from New York. Tiffany, thank you for joining us.
TIFFANY VAZQUEZ, SPOKESWOMAN, GIPHY FILM FESTIVAL: Thank you so much for having me.
LU STOUT: Why launch a film festival for animated GIFs?
VAZQUEZ: Well, the GIF format has been around for over 30 years and now GIPHY is more of an entertainment platform at this point. We just got a
homepage redesigned and they are something called GIPHY stories on it.
And it's a brand new way of really visual story telling and ways of taking this medium and expanding on the conversation of what GIFs and really the
short form content in general can do.
And we encourage all creators to submit to this festival. The grand pot prize is $10,000 and five-year membership on Square Space, which is our
lead sponsor.
LU STOUT: Wow! That's a big price for a microfilm festival.
[08:40:01] Now, let's bring up an example for audience. This is called "Grandma BB" by Kyle Sauer, described as a "GIF comic book" about a
"lovable" Boca Raton retiree. Does this work? Does this really have narrative potential?
VAZQUEZ: Yeah, I think so. When film first started, it really was essentially GIFs. People used to go into Nickelodeon theaters and store
fronts in the city and see basically someone kissing, someone spitting out a drink, someone doing some sort of laugh or emotion, and it was this
truncated form of entertainment, but it brought people in.
It was compelling. It was entertaining. I think that is the same thing for that. We are accepting this entertainment that people submitting can really
tell stories within 18 seconds because we are at this point where we are having tweets and reading a lot of short form things and ingesting all
these things that are way more short form.
And there's no reason why with Instagram stories and all these things that are just a little bit more truncated, they're still not taking away from
entertainment value, in fact, they're adding to it, so we should also be in that conversation.
LU STOUT: Got it. Here is a more experimental entry that is out there. It is called "Fridge" (ph) by Scott Gelber (ph). It is a surreal, moving still
life. Is this proof that you can push the boundaries even in such a limited medium?
VAZQUEZ: Absolutely. That particular GIF is incredibly artistic. It's stunning to look at. It's compelling. It tells a narrative on its own
without actually telling you a narrative. That's art.
So we would love to welcome more submissions like that or like "Grandma BB." We love all of that. We want to laugh. We want to cry. We want to be
scared with these submissions. All of that is completely welcome.
LU STOUT: Cartoons are also part of the mix. Here is something called "Pizza Rex Pie" (ph) by Nicky Rojo (ph). Tiffany, could the next Walt
Disney or Hayao Miyazaki be discovered in an animated GIF?
VAZQUEZ: Absolutely. I mean, there are still many creators out there who maybe don't have the resources right now to create a full length animated
film, but they do have the resources to create something within 18 seconds, and they have the talent and they have the wherewithal to compel us in
those amount of seconds.
So, they should absolutely be coming to this festival and the people who will be seeing this content will be the people that can make things happen.
LU STOUT: And final question for you, because there is a lot of money resting on this. This is a bet. Is is animated GIF or GIF and why?
VAZQUEZ: We take the hard "G" stance. If you say GIF, that's totally fine with us and you're still welcome to submit your work.
(LAUGHTER)
VAZQUEZ: But since GIF stands for graphic interchange format --
LU STOUT: Yup.
VAZQUEZ: we do the hard "G."
LU STOUT: Yeah, that's what I do too. Thank you so much. Just wanted to hear it first, try and make sure everyone who is listening, they know it as
well. Tiffany Vazquez of GIPHY -- I almost got it wrong -- thank you so much for joining us. Take care.
VAZQUEZ: Thank you.
LU STOUT: And GIPHY, hard "G" GIPHY is accepting submissions until September the 27th. And that is it for "News Stream." I'm Kristie Lu Stout.
Don't go anywhere. "World Sport" with Christina Macfarlane is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:45:00] (WORLD SPORT)
END
