HBO and The New York International
Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) today announced the 5th annual open call for
entry for the HBO/NYILFF Short Film Competition. Jointly created in 2004,
the competition seeks to foster films by Latino filmmakers and/or about the
Latino experience.
One winner will be chosen from among applicants to receive $15,000 in
funding from HBO to produce and direct a short film based on an original
script entry. The completed short will be presented on screen this summer
at the 2008 New York International Film Festival, July 22-27, and
considered for broadcast on any of HBO's programming services.
"For the past five years we've seen the enormous talent that the Latino
film community has to offer," said Lucinda Martinez-Desir, vice president,
Market Development at HBO. "We look forward to reading more great stories
from gifted filmmakers, and to spotlighting one special talent in
partnership with the NYILFF."
"Since its commencement, the HBO/NYILFF Short Film Competition has been
one of our most successful opportunities for filmmakers," said Calixto
Chinchilla, founder and co-executive director, NYILFF. "It has introduced
us to some of the most talented up-and-coming Latino writer/director, and
enabled us to pair those emerging filmmakers with the award-winning
creative team at HBO."
The HBO/NYILFF Short Film Competition is open to U.S. and international
entrants 18 years and older. Only original scripts will be accepted and
must be written in English by a person of Latino descent or focus on the
Latino experience, and entrant must hold all rights to material. The
screenplay cannot be more than twelve (12) pages long and final film cannot
exceed a maximum running time of five (5) minutes. Submitted screenplay or
work produced from it must not have had previous cable, broadcast or
internet exhibition, won awards at any other festival or been previously
submitted to the HBO/NYILFF Short Film Competition under its current or any
former title.
Each entry must be accompanied by one (1) completed submission form,
$10.00 fee, filmmaker bio and photo, a director's reel or last film
produced (DVD NTSC only), and one (1) executed HBO/NYILFF Short Film
Competition release form. There is no limit to the number of entries that
can be submitted (see rules for more specifics). Entries must be postmarked
by April 25, 2008 and mailed to HBO/NYILFF SHORT FILM COMPETITION, c/o The
New York International Latino Film Festival, 419 Lafayette Street, 3rd
Floor, New York, N.Y. 10003.
Applicants will be notified if their screenplay has been selected by
May 19, 2008.
Last year, filmmaker Freddy Vargas received the $15,000 grant from HBO
to produce and direct a short based on his original script "Hispaniola."
The film, an endearing story of two boys from different worlds -- one
Haitian, the other Dominican -- who develop a strong bond through baseball,
garnered praise at the NYILFF.
Home Box Office, Inc. is the premium television programming subsidiary
of Time Warner Inc., providing two 24-hour pay television services -- HBO
and Cinemax -- to over 40 million U.S. subscribers. The services offer the
most popular subscription video on demand products, HBO On Demand and
Cinemax On Demand, as well as HBO on Broadband, HD feeds, and multiplex
channels. Internationally, HBO's branded television networks, along with
the subscription video on demand products HBO On Demand and HBO Mobile,
bring HBO services to over 50 countries. HBO programming is sold into over
150 countries worldwide.
Launched in 1999, the New York International Latino Film Festival
(NYILFF) is now the premier Urban Latino film event in the country. The
NYILFF's mission is to showcase the works of the hottest emerging Latino
filmmaking talent in the U.S. and Latin America, offer expansive images of
the Latino experience, and celebrate the diversity and spirit of the Latino
community. Programming includes the flagship film festival in NYC, new
music and art showcases, family and community events, scholarships for
aspiring filmmakers, and a nationally recognized short film competition in
partnership with HBO. The NYILFF is the only film event to have had the
endorsement of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's NYC Latin Media and Entertainment
Commission since its formation in 2003.
HBO is the presenting sponsor of the New York International Latino Film
Festival.
SOURCE HBO and NY International Latino Film Festival
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