Babelgum, the independent web TV service, has announced the 40 finalists for the 2nd edition of the Babelgum Online Film Festival. The festival rewards international independent short filmmaking by providing international exposure and cash awards for upcoming talent.
Spike Lee is returning as the Honorary Chairman of the Festival Jury. He will announce the award winners on April 27, 2009, at a private event during the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
As per the Babelgum press release, nearly two thousand filmmakers from around the globe submitted their films and sixty-two thousand votes were cast via the Babelgum broadband and mobile platforms. Ten films in each of the four categories – Mini Masterpiece, Documentary, Short Film, and Animation – are vying for five cash prizes of 20,000 Euros each (over $130,000 in total) and four Professional Jury Awards. The audience voting provides the top ten films per category, with the final decisions being made by Spike Lee and the Professional Jury.
This year's Babelgum Online Film Festival is the first film festival to enable simultaneous mobile and broadband viewing and voting by the public globally.
All 651 films that were in the festival, including the 40 shortlisted films, can be viewed at http://www.babelgum.com/online-film-festival. The shortlisted films can also be viewed on the Babelgum mobile platform in the US, UK and Italy.
FESTIVAL JURY
The festival jury, headed by Honorary Chairman Spike Lee, will judge each category. The industry jury for this year's edition includes: Richard Abramowitz, President of Abramorama, a consulting firm that serves the film industry in the production, marketing, and distribution of independent films (U.S.), Joe Bateman, Festival Director of the Rushes Soho Shorts Festival (U.K.), Michael Cox, Talent Executive for Chelsea Lately on E! Entertainment (U.S.), Tiziana Loschi, Managing Director of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival/Citia (City of Moving Images) (France), Carl Spence, Artistic Director of the Seattle International Film Festival and Director of Programming of the Palm Springs International Film Festival (U.S).
AWARDS
The Spike Lee Award, given to the top films in each of the four categories. The winners will each receive a cash prize of 20,000 Euros (over $25,000). The Looking for Genius Award, selected by Spike Lee and the industry jury, will be presented to a new or emerging filmmaker who displays clear and outstanding achievement through direction, animation, writing and/or camera work for his/her film in competition in any of the four categories. The winner will receive a cash prize of 20,000 Euros. The Professional Jury Award will be given to the top films in each of the four categories, as chosen by members of the industry jury.