Call for Entries to the Show Me Shorts Festival

Media Release: Wednesday 20th February 2008

Call for Entries to the Show Me Shorts Film Festival

Entries for the 2008 Show Me Shorts Film Festival are now open.

The Show Me Shorts Film Festival screens a selection of Kiwi and Australian short films at cities nation wide every November.

Show Me Shorts is seeking films between three and thirty minutes long, made within the last three years. All genres are accepted so long as the film has a strong New Zealand or Australian component (i.e. be made in NZ/Oz or have NZ/Oz key creatives). The deadline this year is the 7th of July.

This is a competitive festival with awards for Best Film, Best Student Film, Atlab Best Technical Contribution and Panavision Special Jury Prize. Last year's Best Film winners were Kiwis Jeff and Phill Simmonds for their animated short film 'A Very Nice Honeymoon'. This film was based on the true story of the filmmakers' great grandparents Mariano & Elizabeth Vella who were on the steamer SS Wairarapa when it was wrecked on the coast of Great Barrier Island in 1893. In 2006 the Best Film award went to Australian Janine Barnes for her heart warming comedy 'Ray', about a little kid stranded, growing up in a country town he hates and the only interesting stuff happens to Ray, a guy the whole town dismisses as crazy.

Festival Director Gina Dellabarca says, "Films that have their premiere at the festival and those with higher production values will be given preference, but we're also looking for student short films."

This is the third year for the Show Me Shorts Film Festival, and the circuit this year will include some smaller regional cinemas as well as a full week in each of the four main cities. All films will be shown in all locations, and the selected films will be announced in September.

Full entry details can be found at www.showmeshorts.co.nz.

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