Auckland based Unitec Institute of Technology has launched a student film festival competition to encourage growth of young talent.
Students enrolled in tertiary education will be eligible to submit their entries to the initiative called, ‘Uni Shorts International Student Film Festival.’
Entries opened on September 1 and would close on November 30, 2011.
The submissions should be original works created between March 2010 and November 2011 in Fiction, Non-Fiction, Animation and Non-Narrative segments. Entries must be accompanied by a fee for $50.
The Competition is open to tertiary students and recent graduates from all over the world.
An independent panel of judges will evaluate the entries with prizes valued at €1000 apportioned to the Best Local, Best International, Best Film Overall and Outstanding Performance.
The Festival, scheduled to be held in April 2012, will comprise film screenings and discussion forums.
Unitec Performing and Screen Arts Department Head Athina Tsoulis said there was a void for showcasing tertiary student work in the Australasian region.
“Given that the quality has increased tremendously and many of these film screen internationally, we felt they deserved to be seen by a wider New Zealand audience. We anticipate that the festival will not just screen work, but also provide a platform for discussion on the issues that affect all emerging film makers and the landscape they are entering,” she said.
For entry forms to the competition and festival, go to www.unishorts.unitec.ac.nz
