Tuesday, April 1 is the deadline for U.S. student filmmakers to submit their films for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 35th Student Academy Awards. As per the Academy's press release, "the Student Academy Awards is a national annual competition designed to recognize and encourage promising new filmmakers.
"Applications and a complete list of rules are available online [here]. All entry forms for the 35th Student Academy Awards must be submitted electronically. Additionally, filmmakers must send a DVD of their film and a hard copy of their signed application to the appropriate regional coordinator. Complete entries must be received by the deadline to be considered (it is not a postmark deadline)."
According to the release, "each year over 500 college and university film students from all over the country compete for Student Academy Awards and the accompanying cash grants. Films are judged by Academy members in four categories: Animation, Documentary, Narrative and Alternative."
Past Student Academy Award winners include Gary Nadeau, Bob Saget, Spike Lee, and Oscar winners John Lasseter and Robert Zemeckis.
At the 80th Academy Awards, two former Student Academy Award winners received Oscar nominations in the Documentary Short Subject category: James Longley for Sari's Mother (Longley had also been nominated the year before for his documentary feature Iraq in Fragments) and Amanda Micheli (with Isabel Vega) for La Corona (The Crown).
To date, former Student Academy Award winners have received a total of 35 Oscar nominations and have won or shared six awards.
The 35th Student Academy Awards will be presented on Saturday, June 7, at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The ceremony is free and open to the public.
Additional information about the Student Academy Awards can be obtained by contacting Awards Administrator Rich Miller via phone at (310) 247-3000, ext. 131, or by visiting www.oscars.org/saa/2008/index.html.
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM Voted Best British Film
Oscar 2008: Telecast Gets Lowest Ratings Ever
Robert Osborne on Oscar 2008's Red Carpet
Oscar 2008: Presenters and Performers
Oscar 2008 Final Ballots Due Feb. 19
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE – Awards and Nominations
Oscar 2008: VANITY FAIR Cancels Party