New short film competition to showcase Australian film talent

Starlight Cinema, Sydney’s north shore outdoor cinema, returns to North Sydney Oval this summer, bigger and better than ever. Starlight Cinema expands this year with the introduction of Starlight Shorts – a short film competition.

Starlight Cinema is inviting filmmakers of all ages to enter their films in this new short film festival. We are seeking films which have been made after 1 December 2007, are 8 minutes or less in length including titles and can be shown in 35mm film or DVD format.

Managing Director, Jill Keyte, said over the past four years Starlight Cinema has featured short films from the Australian Film Television and Radio School.

“There is such a strong interest in film in our schools and community - we wanted to create an opportunity to showcase talent. We are keen to give more filmmakers a chance to have their work seen. Starlight Shorts creates this opportunity,” said Ms Keyte.

The judges, led by Australian cinematographer, Anna Howard (Hey Hey Its Esther Blueburger), will select 28 films, one to be shown each night with the feature film at Starlight Cinema. The films will be matched with the Starlight Cinema themes – Wild Wednesdays, Blockbuster Thursdays, Family Flick Fridays and Summer Lovin’ Saturdays.

There are great prizes to be won.  These include cash, camera equipment, filmmaking courses and studio time for the first, second and third prizes awarded by our judges plus the Audience Award prize voted by our audiences during the season.

The 28 finalists will have their work seen on Starlight Cinemas giant 16m x 8m inflatable screen during the season and on the finals night, Sunday 1 March.

Entry details and terms and conditions can be found at http://www.starlightcinema.com.au/page/starlight_shorts.html Entries close Friday 12 December at 5.00pm.

The winning films will be shown at the 2009 Starlight Cinema program which runs from Wednesday 14 January to Sunday 1 March at North Sydney Oval. It opens with Baz Luhrmann’s, Australia, and will feature something for every film lover with The Duchess, Tropic Thunder, Burn After Reading, Mamma Mia!, Fantasia, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Frost/Nixon. For more information, tickets and gift vouchers go to http://www.starlightcinema.com.au