The European Spiritual Film Festival prizes announced

The European Spiritual Film Festival prizes announced during the Closing Ceremony by
the members of the Jury on Saturday, April, 26th at the "Divan du Monde" in Paris.



BEST SPIRITUAL DOCUMENTARY
Beyond Fear - Michael Perlman - United States, 2007

BEST SPIRITUAL ANIMATION FILM
Das Floss - Jan Thüring - Germany, 2005

BEST SPIRITUAL FILM
Der Lachende Hund - Shohreh Jandaghian - Germany, 2007

BEST EUROPEAN SPIRITUAL FILM
L'homme entre Science et Religion - Caroline Puig-Grenetier - France, 2007

PEOPLE' S CHOICE AWARD
The Miracle - Jeffrey Jon Smith - United States, 2007

http://www.festival-esff.com

London Festival of Architecture 2008

Screening the City _(20 June – 20 July)

A major film season _Screening the City_ will come to the capitalthis summer. It will showcase a dynamic range of internationalarchitecture-themed films in inspiring indoor and outdoor venues,launch a public competition to find innovative new ways of filmingarchitecture and look in detail at today’s most excitingdigitally-produced architectural moving images. One of the headline events of the London Festival of Architecture2008, _Screening the City_ is curated by The Faculty of Excellenceand Louis Savy, with other film screenings taking place during the Festival at major venues such as the Barbican, BFI Southbank and Renoir Cinema.

Further information: www.screeningthecity.co.uk

BENDFILM

BENDFILM: Where Filmmakers Are Gods. Set against the backdrop of thestunning Cascade Mountains in Bend, Central Oregon. Now in its 5thyear, BendFilm creates a memorable festival every October with morethan $30,000 in cash awards including a $10,000 Best of Show Award.Additional cash awards are presented for Best Feature ($2,500), BestDoc ($2,500), Best Short ($2,500), Best Student Film ($3,000), BestConservation Award ($2,500) and Excellence in Filmmaking By A FemaleDirector ($4,000). Add that to the Audience Award, which takes home apercentage of ticket sales and you have a festival that filmmakerslove. Deadline: June 30, 2008. Visit http://www.bendfilm.org. Executive Director: Sandy Henderson. Contact: info@bendfilm.org

15th Annual AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL

The 15th Annual AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL runs October 16 – 23, 2008 inAustin, Texas. Film categories: Narrative Feature, Short, StudentShort, Documentary Feature, Short and Animated Short.

Early Deadline:June 5, 2008, Late Deadline: July 5, 2008.

Do not forget about their screenwriting competition! Screenplay Competition deadline: May 15(early), June 1 (late). Teleplay Competition deadline: June 1. Get $5off your film entry fee with a copy of this e-mail. For an entry formand more information, visit: http://www.austinfilmfestival.com

YAMAGATA Documentary Film Library Friday Theater

Screenings at the Yamagata Documentary Film Library present documentary films and other masterpieces rarely shown on television or in theaters, including works from the Film Library vaults.
More information : http://www.yidff.jp/home-e.html

Striplite: call for submissions for new night of films and performances

Striplite is a new monthly night of short film, burlesque and alternative
performers, solo musicians and DJs in London. The organisers are looking for
submissions of short film to be shown at the night, and longer material to
be shown during DJ sets.

The organisers are looking for films on an ongoing basis, so film makersshould keep the night in mind for material they are currently working on, orplan to make.

Shorts should be up to 10 minutes long, material to play during DJ sets canbe any length, and both should be sent on DVD to:
Nick Mann
Flat 7, The Milner Building
53a Carysfort Road
N16 9AD
UK

For more information on the night, please visit www.myspace.com/striplite

For any questions about submissions, please mail striplites@gmail.com

Deadline: 1 June 08

BRITDOC'S "DRAGON'S DEN" IS OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR BUSINESS

BIG PITCH OPENS FOR APPLICATIONSThe Big Pitch at BRITDOC is the UK's only international pitching forum - a golden opportunity for 12 filmmakers to pitch their documentary projects to an exceptional panel of commissioning editors and film funders from the US, Europe and the Far East.

Last year our panel included HBO, IFC, ARTE, Sundance Institute, ITVS, NHK Japan, Netflix, Discovery Films and SBS Australia and over two thirds of the projects received funding as a direct result of pitching.

All projects entered join the Online Pitching Forum searched by all our funders before, during and after festival.

For full details and to apply: http://www.britdoc.org/festival/ApplyFor/Pitchingforums

Deadline: Friday 13 June.

First Light Movies Enjoys Double Distinction At The Webbys

First Light Movies www.firstlightmovies.com is thrilled to announce that it has been short listed for a prestigious Webby Award. The site, which was designed and built by Birmingham-based company 3Form www.3form.net has been nominated in the Student category of the 12th Annual Webby Awards in the online film and video section.

First Light Movies, a national organisation also based in Birmingham that puts young people at the heart of the creative film making process is the only site in this category to feature films made by children as young as five.


To view the site via the Webby’s Nominees page go to http://webbyawards.com/webbys/current.phpmedia_id=97&season=12#film_student

UK FILMMAKERS WIN £50,000 PRIZE

Director Jan Dunn and Producer Elaine Wickham took the grand prize at the London Independent Film Festival over the weekend for their feature film RUBY BLUE which stars Bob Hoskins as a man accused by his neighbors of being a pedophile. The Prize, sponsored by Prime Focus London, secures a significant portion of the of the post-production finance for Dunn and Wickham's next feature. The two filmmakers from Ramsgate found critical acclaim two years ago for their self-financed debut film GYPO, and RUBY BLUE is their second film together.

UK director Julian Richards took the festival's prize for Best Director for SUMMER SCARS - his autobiographically inspired portrayal of Welsh youth. Actor Bob Hoskins and Film London were each awarded the festival's CHAMPION OF INDEPENDENT CINEMA award, which annually recognizes one celebrity and one organisation for outstanding service to the UK independent filmmaking community.

Festival sponsors Prime Focus London, Motorola, and Archos were on hand for the awards ceremony on Sunday with prizes for the winning filmmakers.

Hosted at several screening venues across London, including the BFI Southbank, and Curzon cinemas, the London Independent Film Festival screened over 90 films. The festival highlights the best in low-budget filmmaking every April and has been called "A treasure trove of undiscovered cinematic gems. One of Europe's top indie film fests" by British Film Magazine, 2008.
Full information can be found on the festival website: www.londonindependent.org

Salisbury International Arts

23 May - 08 June
A multi discipline arts festival with a strong
film programme.

Details of the Festival are on our website:

HYPERLINK
www.salisburyfestival.co.uk/event-list.aspx

exposures – new talent in moving image

call for entries 2008

closing date for entries 31 July

festival dates 23-27 November, 2008

To download an entry form and enter for free,
go to http://www.exposuresfestival.co.uk/

exposures – the UK's leading competitive festival for student film and moving image – is looking for the talent of the future. Call for entries is now open for the 2008 edition to be held in November at Cornerhouse and Urbis, Manchester's two leading contemporary arts venues, co-hosts of exposures for the first time this year. The deadline for entries is 31 July.

Cambridge International Super 8 Film festival

24-26th of April 2008 - Cambridge (UK)
Hot on the heels of Cambridge Super 8 2007 comes Cambridge Super 8 2008 a film
festival with a difference; a film festival with 70 UK premières and 22 World
premières over only three days from the 24th till the 26th of April in the heart of
Cambridge. A film festival giving you a unique opportunity to view superb
independent cinema across the genres and meet the filmmakers in formal Q&As and over
informal drinks.

On Thursday the 24th of April, the festival is at St Pauls Church on Hills Road,
Cambridge. On Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th of April, the festival is at the
University Social Club, Mill Lane, Cambridge. For full details of the festival
programmes, please visit the festival website http://www.cambridge-super8.org

BFM Film Club bringing the unseen to light

4pm, Sunday 4th May 2008

Welcome to Nollywood
Dir: Jamie Meltzer

The Nigerian film industry, known as “Nollywood”, has exploded in the last ten
years. Now the most popular cinema in all of West Africa - more popular even than
imports of Hollywood or Bollywood films - the Nigerian film industry has
distinguished itself by shooting all films (called “video-films”) on digital video.
The sheer volume of Nigerian video-films is staggering: one estimate has a film
being produced for each day of the year. Nollywood is now the third largest film
industry in the world, generating 286 million dollars per year for the Nigerian
economy. And yet this vibrant, profitable industry is virtually unknown outside of
Africa.

Screening will be followed by a discussion led by Tope Omoniyi, Professor of
Sociolinguistics, Roehampton University, and Coordinator of the Nigerian Films
Project.

Venue: Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), The Mall (just off Trafalgar Square).
Tickets: £8 non-members / £7 concession / £6 members
Book: 0207 930 3647 or online at www.ica.org.uk
BFM: www.bfmmedia.com

Second Edition of the Bucharest Film Festival 2008

This years edition of the Bucharest Film Festival will take place from June
28 to July 6, 2008. Following the success from last years initial festival,
this cinematic event again focuses on Central and South East European
regions.

The programmers consider cinema as a mirror reflecting the needs and
mentalities of different societies. One of the main principles of selecting
films is drawing special attention to new filmmaking including their own
ways of expression. The aim is to promote talents, to fight the cultural
decay and to consolidate quality in culture, arts and mass media.

The competition programs are dedicated to Shorts and Documentaries, to
International Films and to long-features from the Black Sea Region.
Within the International Film section, regional directors and films will
have the opportunity of competing openly and directly with productions from
all over the world.

For further information and accreditation please contact:
Boxer & Sparrow Film PR, Berlin
Gunnar Gilgen
Reichenberger Strasse 117, D-10999 Berlin
tel. +49 (0)30 600 311 76, gilgen@bs-pr.de

NPA The Successful Screenplay Intensive Weekend

This Saturday the 19th & Sunday 20th April 10:00 - 16:00

Screenwriting is a highly rewarding profession and the most accessible route into the exciting business of film. But like any prize worth gaining, the way can be difficult and perilous for the uninitiated. Just as a film's hero needs a mentor to provide invaluable training for their magical journey, so studying craft will put you ahead of the game and give you the skills required to win the Holy Grail - the Successful Screenplay.

This course, held over one weekend, guides you step by step through the process of creating a professional screenplay: The Unique High Concept, Perfect Plotting, Killer Characters, the Secret of Segments, Sequences and Scenes, Dazzling Dialogue plus important industry information on how to Pitch and Sell Your Script and work festivals such as Cannes this May.


Tutor: Jacqueline Genie


Renowned for her practical, no nonsense approach, Jacqueline Genie has worked as a freelance script consultant for numerous companies including Brass Hat Films ("Premonition"). In 2001, she co-founded the London Script Consultancy, script-editing hundreds of features in Europe and the US. She taught the popular weekly Soho Screenwriters classes, intensive weekend courses and script development programmes for Film London. She is also a professional screenwriter, currently commissioned to write a feature film treatment, adapted from a novel.


Fantastic, brilliant teacher - a pleasure to attend.""Wonderful overview and also totally arms you with practical skills and tools." NPA member

"Really helpful and inspiring. Feel I'm coming away with some very useful tools to break my apathy!"

NPA Member To book your place please contact the NPA office on T 020 7613 0440 E admin@npa.org.uk or book online www.npa.org.uk

NPA Members £100 Non Members: £175

Filmaka announces new competition

Filmaka.com is an exciting new online network created by established independent producers, industry professionals and film financiers. It's about to fully launch in April after a very successful initial two years - but before that its next exciting new tie-in is with the US TV channel the FX NETWORK (Nip/Tuck, The Shield) in which anyone can have a go at creating the next hit comedy!

Click here for all the details.

What do you have to do? Make a 3 minute comedy film – think a mini-pilot – that is a sample of the show you would like to make. It should introduce the premise and the main characters. Along with that, you need to upload a 1-2 page brief that outlines the plot of future episodes, the main characters and the themes.

Filmaka offers cash prizes to filmmakers in these regular competitions, and one filmmaker wins a feature film deal over the course of one year after having competed with the prize winners of each contest (the 2007 winner is to be announced on April 21st!).

Film & Festivals Surgery

In partnership with the East End Film Festival we are launching Film & Festivals Surgery. F&F Surgery is a unique opportunity for filmmakers to receive free one-to-one advice from or just have a chat with a top film professional.

One of many highlights of EEFF this year is the VIBE LOUNGE FILMMAKERS CENTRE, a cinematic chill-out space hosting a variety of events including a party and screening. On 22nd April from 3pm Film & Festivals will be hosting its first filmmakers Surgery there.

Documentary producer Mike Chamberlain is one of the professionals already confirmed. Mike Chamberlain has produced more then 100 docs and he will be at the VIBE LOUNGE FILMMAKERS CENTRE to answer any question you may have on how to get into documentaries or how to make the most of your documentary projects, whether for Festivals or television.

If you’re interested please email info@filmandfestivals.com for a Surgery time between 3.00 and 6pm on 22nd April. Spaces will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

www.eastendfilmfestival.com

10TH ANNUAL SCRIPTAPALOOZA SCREENPLAY COMPETITION

FINAL deadline is April 15 - We now accept scripts by EMAIL or regular mail

www.scriptapalooza.com

Why should you submit your script to Scriptapalooza?

Grand Prize: $10,000
Ben Monaghan (semifinalist) is setting up his film with Glenn Close
2 writers got their scripts made into movies by LifeTime
2 writers this year got their scripts optioned
All the reading is done by 90 production companies
Entertainment Weekly Magazine calls us 'One of the Best'
We promote the winners, runners-up, finalists and semifinalists for a full year

About Scriptapalooza:

The Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition, was founded in 1998, and has generated heat, publicity and a reputation that demands respect. Scriptapalooza, Inc., along with its various divisions was created to nurture talent and create opportunities.
Storytellers come from all over the world and from all walks of life, because of the simple fact that everyone has a story. Scriptapalooza's goal: to seek out that storyteller and honor their script with a grand prize of $10,000. Each year dozens
of production companies and literary representatives sign on as participants to read our winners, resulting in many scripts being optioned, sold or outright bought.

Questions or comments email us at info@scriptapalooza.com

Search is on for Doc/Fest 2008

Sheffield International Documentary Festival, the UK's premier event for
international documentary professionals, has today started its search
for films to showcase at this year's festival.

Sheffield Doc/Fest is considering documentaries of any style or subject
from established or debut filmmakers, television or film school
productions for this year's official programme.

Last year Doc/Fest showcased 100 of the finest examples of documentary
film from across the globe, attracting over 1,200 industry delegates
from as far away as Japan and Australia.

The Festival, now in its fifteenth year, will run from 5-9 November
2008. To coincide with the result of the US Presidential Elections,
Doc/Fest will present a number of films and panels around the theme of
Regime Change. Other film strands this year will include Green Docs,
Anti Docs, Bent Docs and Music Docs.

For more information and to submit entries visit www.sheffdocfest.com

GUIDING LIGHTS

Are you an up-and-coming filmmaker with at least two years’ experience in your field?

Have you got the talent and passion to succeed but need high-level contacts to get ahead in the industry?

Would you benefit from the support of an established film industry pro?

If so, could Guiding Lights be for you.


Following the success of the first Guiding Lights mentoring programme, we are again looking for 25 emerging film professionals to match with top industry talent.

Successful applicants will benefit from 12 months of one-to-one mentor support from the best in the business. Filmmakers and industry professionals who have agreed to act as Guiding Lights mentors include Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum), Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland), Nira Park (Shaun of the Dead), Mark Herbert (This is England), David Yates (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), Julia Short (Verve Pictures), Patrick Marber (Notes on a Scandal) and Cameron McCracken (Pathé).

We are currently seeking applications from filmmakers across all sections of the community and from a range of film industry disciplines. Directors, producers, screenwriters, cinematographers, talent agents and professionals working in sales, distribution, exhibition, marketing, publicity and business affairs are all eligible to apply.

Guiding Lights is run by Lighthouse Arts & Training, and is part of 'A Bigger Future', the UK film skills strategy set up by Skillset and the UK Film Council to address skills development across all job roles in film. The scheme is primarily funded by the Skillset Film Skills Fund, supported by the National Lottery through the UK Film Council and the film industry through the Skills Investment Fund.

Application Deadline: 5pm, Tuesday 29th April 2008

Further information: http://www.guiding-lights.org.uk

KINOTEKA- Polish Film Fesival

Following on from its great success in previous years, the annual
Polish Film Festival returns to London in April for its sixth and biggest
instalment, with a brand new name; KINOTEKA.

Developed in partnership with Wyborowa Wodka and supported by the Polish
Film Institute, KINOTEKA will give audiences in the UK the rare opportunity
to discover the best of contemporary, classic and experimental
Polish cinema.

Highlight: Oscar-winning director Andrzej Wajda will be in attendence for the
UKpremiere of his eagerly awaited and deeply personal war drama, *Katyn*,
at the BFI Southbank on the 22nd April.

The festival begins on 10th April with *Twists of Fate*, the long awaited new film
by actor and director Jerzy Stuhr (*Love Stories, Big Animal*). 

 For more information, visit the KINOTEKA website at www.kinoteka.org.uk

BFM Film Club bringing the unseen to light

4pm, Sunday 6th April 2008

The Fighting Spirit
Dir: George Amponsah

Bukom is a tiny shantytown suburb of Accra in Ghana, a factory for the toughest,
most skilled boxers in the world. The Fighting Spirit tells the story of three
fighters, two men and a woman, as they battle their way to the glittering rings of
Europe and America to fight for the biggest prizes in the business. Witnessing their
triumphs and defeats in and out of the ring, this is a story of modern Africans'
ambitions as they fight for respect and reward, for their tribe and their home.

Screening will be followed by a Q&A with the Director.

Duration: 80 min UK, 2007
Certificate: PG
Language: Ga with English Subtitles
Venue: Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), The Mall (just off Trafalgar Square).
Tickets: £8 non-members / £7 concession / £6 members
Book: 0207 930 3647 or online at www.ica.org.uk
By Tube: Charing Cross or Piccadilly Circus
By Bus: 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24, 29, 38, 77a, 88, 91, 139, 176
BFM: www.bfmmedia.com