NEXT FLOOR WINS TOP SHORTS PRIZE IN CANNES

Canadian short film wins Cannes prize
Canwest News Service

CANNES, France - Next Floor, an 11-minute Canadian film about gluttony, has won the grand prize for short movies at the Cannes Film Festival.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Next Floor was filmed in an abandoned Montreal factory that was being demolished, and shows a group of diners eating piles of food - everything from rhinoceros to deer - before crashing through to the floor below.

Villeneuve (Maelstrom) shot the movie while taking a break from editing his new feature Polytechnique, about the 1989 Montreal massacre.

The Cannes award is given by the French TV network Canal+, which acquires the right to broadcast Next Floor. Villeneuve wins 6,000 Euros (about $9,000) to shoot his next project.

TRIBEC SHORT FILM WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Tribeca has announced their short film winners...

Best Narrative Short: New Boy, directed by Steph Green.

Best Documentary Short: Mandatory Service, directed by Jessica Habie.

Student Visionary Award: Elephant Garden, directed by Sasie Sealy.

MAJOR HOLLYSHORTS NETWORKING EVENT COMING UP

HOLLYSHORTS Film Festival will be hosting a major networking event in May, stay tuned for details. This event will take place before the next installment of the Monthly Screening Series, free drinks, free food!

CANNES FILM FEST SHORTS IN COMPETITION

The Cannes Film fest kicks off in a couple of weeks. Check out the short films in competition...

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION
JERRYCAN by Julius AVERY
13m

EL DESEO (The Desire)by Marie BENITO
13m

MEGATRON by MARIAN CRISAN
14m

411-Z by Dániel ERDÉLYI
7m

EN MOINS by Mélanie LAURENT DE MOINS
7m

MY RABIT HOPPY by Anthony LUCAS
3m

BUEN VIAJE(Good Trip)by Javier PALLEIRO, Guillermo
ROCAMORA
12m

SMÁFUGLAR(2 Birds)by Rúnar RÚNARSSON
15m

LOVE YOU MORE by Sam TAYLOR-WOOD
15m

HOLLYSHORTS WITHOUTABOX SPOTLIGHT

Check out the Holly WAB spotlight...tell everyone you know and submit now!

HOLLYSHORTS
FILM FESTIVAL
Hollywood, California - USA
August 7 to 10, 2008

Dear Distributionlab,

In the Spotlight this week is the 4th Annual HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL. Recently selected by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the "25 film festivals worth the entry fee," HollyShorts presents exceptional short films from around the globe for audiences full of industry influencers and executives in the heart of Hollywood.

Boasting star-studded events, industry attendance, and a history of excellent programming, HollyShorts is ripe with opportunity. Attending filmmakers can walk away with agency meetings, distribution deals, over $40,000 in cash as well as in-kind prizes from industry sponsors, and press coverage from major outlets. Selected films will even be invited to tour to destinations around the world including New York, Greece, and the United Kingdom.

HollyShorts 2008 will kick off with the Hollywood premiere of X, by Actor/Director Josh Brolin of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, at the famed Egyptian Theatre (in conjunction with the American Cinematheque), with weekend screenings at the Laemmle Sunset 5. The Festival is packed with parties, panels, and networking opps, and concludes with the HollyShorts Awards ceremony, where winning filmmakers receive top honors.

UPCOMING DEADLINE
May 16, 2008 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5 off this deadline.

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
HollyShorts Film Festival is an annual short film festival showcasing the best and brightest short films of 30 minutes or less from around the globe.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Recent HollyShorts alumni include "Entourage" star Adrian Grenier, who screened his short film EUTHENASIA at the 2007 Festival; Michael Attardi (ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS VILLAGE) was shortlisted for the Academy Awards, and is now working on a feature film; Rob Meyer (AQUARIUM) has gone on to receive an Honorable Mention at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival; and David Alcalde (Y QUE CUMPLAS MUCHOS MAS) is in pre-production on a thriller starring Diego Luna. Many other HollyShorts filmmakers have received representation and distribution offers.

Director Alex Ferrari (BROKEN) sums it all up well: "HollyShorts is one of the best filmmaker-friendly festivals I've ever been to. They treat the filmmaker like a star and give your film one hell of an LA audience." Be there; submit your short to HollyShorts Film Festival today!