Robert Redford Announces Sundance Film Festival: Global Short Film Project for Mobile

This Blog is brought to you by:







------------------------------------------
Sundance Institute Announces Pilot Project in Collaboration With the GSM Association, to Create Short Films for Viewing on Mobile Phones.

NEW YORK, Nov. 8 /CNW/ - Sundance Institute, a champion for independentfilmmakers for over 25 years, announced today that it is joining forces withthe GSM Association(GSMA), whose members serve more than 2 billion mobilephone customers across the globe, to create the Sundance Film Festival: GlobalShort Film Project, a groundbreaking pilot project that will showcase andextend the reach of the independent short film genre to mobile usersworldwide. Unveiled at a press conference at the Museum of Television & Radio in NewYork, the organisers of the Sundance Film Festival in conjunction with theGSMA, have commissioned six independent filmmakers to create five short films,crafted exclusively for mobile distribution. All of the filmmakersparticipating in the project have screened films at the annual Sundance FilmFestival. "Cell phones are fast becoming the 'fourth screen' medium, aftertelevision, cinema and computers," said Sundance Institute president andfounder Robert Redford. "We feel this experiment embodies fully, ourquarter-century dedication to exploring new platforms to support widerdistribution of independent voices in filmmaking. We are excited aboutbringing this opportunity to independent filmmakers and most excited to seewhat they will do with it," added Redford. While cell phones have previously been used to deliver film andentertainment content, this pilot project is believed to be the first tocommission high calibre independent filmmakers to create original storiesspecifically for the mobile environment. The project presents creativechallenges to the filmmakers who will be working with a limited budget, timeand resources to make a 3-5 minute film for a small mobile screen. "The Global Short Film Project takes us into the realms of a uniquelyintimate new medium, one which holds tremendous promise for maximising theimpact and international reach of the short film genre, and in doing soserving the artists," said John Cooper, Director of Programming for theSundance Film Festival and Creative Director for Sundance Institute, who willoversee the project. Citing the experimental and groundbreaking nature of the collaboration,Bill Gajda, Chief Marketing Officer at the GSM Association said, "Theemergence of mobile as the fourth screen is already changing the way peopleare educated and entertained. This project will explore the potential of themobile medium to deliver compelling, cinematic entertainment to a globalaudience on an unprecedented scale." The six filmmakers featured in the Sundance Film Festival: Global ShortFilm Project are Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE - 06SFF), Justin Lin (BETTER LUCK TOMORROW - 02 SFF), Maria Maggenti (PUCCINI FORBEGINNERS - 06 SFF), Cory McAbee (THE AMERICAN ASTRONAUT - SFF 01) and JodyHill (THE FOOT FIST WAY - SFF 06). The Sundance Institute will exclusively premiere these completed shortfilms on the opening day of the world's biggest annual mobile event, the 3GSMWorld Congress in Barcelona next year (12-15 February 2007). The eventattracts more than 50,000 visitors annually from across the mobile valuechain. The films will be available for cell phone download during the congressfor attendees, and for broader distribution through mobile carriersimmediately following the event - further details will be announced early nextyear. About the Sundance Institute: Dedicated year-round to the development of artists of independent visionand to the exhibition of their new work, Sundance Institute celebrates its25th anniversary in 2006. Founded by Robert Redford in 1981, the Institute hasgrown into an internationally recognised resource for thousands of independentartists through its Film Festival and artistic development programs forfilmmakers, screenwriters, composers, playwrights and theatre artists. Theoriginal values of independence, creative risk-taking, and discovery continueto define and guide the work of Sundance Institute, both with US artists and,increasingly, with artists from other regions of the world. The Sundance FilmFestival has introduced American audiences to some of the most innovativefilms and film makers of the past two decades. It is the premier showcase forAmerican and international independent film, held annually in Park City, Utah,USA. The 2007 Sundance Film Festival will take place January 18-28th. About the GSM Association: The GSM Association (GSMA) is the global trade association representing700 GSM mobile phone operators across 215 countries of the world. In addition,more than 180 manufacturers and suppliers support the Association'sinitiatives as key partners. The primary goals of the GSMA are to ensuremobile phones and wireless services work globally and are easily accessible,enhancing their value to individual customers and national economies, whilecreating new business opportunities for operators and their suppliers. TheAssociation's members serve more than two billion customers - 82% of theworld's mobile phone users. See: www.gsmworld.com & www.3gsmworldcongress.comFor further information: Patrick Hubley, Sundance Institute,
patrick_hubley@sundance.org, (435) 658-3456; Mark Smith, GSM Association,
press@gsm.org, +44-7850-229-724; US, Sharron McDevitt, Hill & Knowlton,
Sharron.McDevitt@hillandknowlton.com, +(212) 885-0300; International, Richard
Fogg/Paul Nolan, Companycare,
Richard.fogg@companycare.com/paul.nolan@companycare.com, +44-118-939-5900