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| Last year's winner Silence Is Golden |
The latest Turner Classic Movies Classic Shorts competition has seen the film channel broaden its rules to allow entries from Europe, the Middle East and Africa for the first time.
This year directors Lasse Hallstrom, Kevin Macdonald, and actors Simon Pegg and Cillian Murphy are among the high profile judges.
The eighth annual shorts competition run by the film channel will honour the finalists at an award ceremony during The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival on October 30.
TCM Classic Shorts awards £10,000 of prize money (1st prize - £5,000; 2nd prize – 3,000; 3rd prize £2,000) and offers exposure across all the TCM channels. In addition, it gives the entrants exposure to a celebrated panel of judges who bring their expertise from all angles of the film industry. This year’s panel is:
Director, writer, producer Lasse Hallstrom - My Life As A Dog, The Cider House Rules
Director, writer, producer Kevin Macdonald The Last King of Scotland, Touching The Void
Director, actor, writer Simon Pegg Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, Mission Impossible lll
Producer and director Stephen Woolley - The Crying Game, Stoned
Actor Cillian Murphy - Sunshine, Girl With A Pearl Earring
Director Paul Andrew Williams - London To Brighton
Director, actor Detlev Buck - Jailbirds, Tough Enough
Film critic and film festival programmer Wendy Ide
BBC film critic Jason Solomons
Editor of Total Film Nev Pierce
Features Editor of Empire Dan Jolin
The competition prides itself on having discovered some of the best new film making talent in the UK in recent years; last year’s winner Silence Is Golden by Chris Shepherd featured some innovative animation and Jane Lloyd, the previous year’s winner was used by David Gray as the video for his last single, Alibi.
Many of the short-listed films from previous years have also gone on to receive further acclaim; 2006 finalist Cubs directed by Tom Harper was nominated for a BAFTA as was 2004 winner Nits directed by Harry Wootliff. 2002 entry Brown Paper Bag directed by Michael Baig Clifford and 2001 winner About A Girl directed by Brian Percival, both went on to win BAFTAs for Best Short Film.
Gerald McMorrow whose film Thespian X won in 2002 is now directing a feature film, Franklyn, with Hanway Films.
TCM Classic Shorts is open to all short films from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, if they have not been made in English they will require English subtitles.
All films must be received by August 1 at the very latest. The short-listed nominations are aired during a special weekend of programming on TCM on November 3 and 4 and also screened at The Times BFI 51st London Film Festival during the awards ceremony on 30th October.
Further information and entry forms are available at: www.tcmclassicshorts.com.
