Uni Shorts film festival 2013 launched - call for entries

16 August, 2012

Uni Shorts film festival 2013 launched - call for entries

The second annual Uni Shorts International Student Film Festival has been launched this month with entries now being called for next year's festival in April 2013. Entries close on 30 November, 2012.

The inaugural event in last April was held at the Unitec Institute of Technology in Auckland. Student-made short films entered by film schools and universities from around New Zealand and all over the world, screened in competition with the Hamburg Media School in Germany taking out three of the four main awards.

This year's festival was also a platform for discussions on issues that impact emerging filmmakers. Festival goers were fortunate to hear from industry speakers such as respected New Zealand producers Steven O'Meagher, Rachel Gardner and director Robert Sarkies, who gave tips to young filmmakers on the industry landscape they were entering.

Uni Shorts 2013 promises to be an even bigger showcase of student made films with new categories and prizes. A new secondary/high school level competition for New Zealand high schools only has been introduced. Seminars and guest speakers from the film industry and education sector, have also been planned for the festival next April with the theme for next year being 'Film in education'.

There are seven prizes up for grabs:

• Best film (secondary/high school) - NZ entries only
• Best film (undergraduate)
• Best film (postgraduate)
• Best Documentary
• Best Animation
• Best Non-Narrative (Experimental)
• Best Overall Film

All submitted film work must have been made as a requirement of their study between March 2011 and November 2012. Short films must not exceed 20 minutes in running time and entry fee is NZ$40 ($100 for three or more film entries). Entry is free for the high school category.

Uni Shorts festival chair, Athina Tsoulis, reflected on the success of the first Uni Shorts festival and added that some of the feedback the organising committee had received, were taken onboard and will guide the planning for next year's event.

"The first Uni Shorts film festival was a pilot and though small in scale, we're confident this event will continue to grow based on the positive feedback we received," says Ms Tsoulis.

"We look forward to receiving even more film entries from around the world and closer to home, here in New Zealand and our neighbours Australia over the next few months. We hope to unveil the judges, prizes and an exciting programme and dates for Uni Shorts 2013 soon."

Uni Shorts was established in 2011 following discussions between screen students and their tutors at Unitec's Department of Performing and Screen Arts. The aim of the festival was to provide a platform for student film work to be showcased, given the lack of opportunities in Australasia at the time. "We wanted to find a way to bring their talents to the attention of a wider audience," adds Ms Tsoulis.

To enter your film or find out more info, go to the official website: www.unishorts.unitec.ac.nz

The 2012 Uni Shorts winners:

BEST FILM (INTERNATIONAL): Wie Ein Fremder; Director: Lena Liberta; Institution: Hamburg Media School (Germany)

BEST FILM (NEW ZEALAND): If We Are To Be Eaten By Wolves; Director: Ian Hedley-Wakefield; Institution: Unitec Department of Performing & Screen Arts (Auckland)

BEST FILM (PEOPLE'S CHOICE): co-winners: Wie Ein Fremder & Dust Off; Director: Ivan Pavljutskov; Institution: Baltic Film & Media School (Estonia)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE: Arash Marandi - the character of "Azad" in Wie Ein Fremder

ENDS

© Scoop Media