Filminute: Filminute 2012 Launch Press Release

LONDON/BUCHAREST/TORONTO, September 6, 2012 – The 7^th edition of Filminute, the international one-minute film festival, officially launches this week. 15 countries are represented among the festival’s 25 competing finalists.

The 15 countries represented at Filminute 2012 are Argentina, Belgium (2), Brazil, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Lithuania, Netherlands (2), Russian Federation (2), Sweden, Turkey, UK (5), and USA (4). Five countries have made the shortlist for the first time: Brazil, Georgia, Israel, Lithuania, and Sweden.

Of the 25 films in competition, 6 are animations, and 2 are documentaries.

Filminute co-founder and Head of Jury John Ketchum has once again convened an international, experienced, contemporary, and witty jury: Sundance & Sarajevo award-winning Romanian film director, Radu Jude; Indian “Ad Guru” and award-winning film lyricist, Prasoon Joshi; FIPRESCI Vice President & Hungarian film critic, György Kárpáti; Shut Up! Cartoons producer and long-time Walt Disney Television Animation Senior Vice-President, Lenora Hume; and award-winning writer and superstar Twitter storyteller Arjun Basu.

The “Best Filminute” prize and 5 commendations are awarded by Filminute’s jury. The public at large is invited to view, share, comment upon and rate all 25 films. Each film fan is also entitled to a single vote to put toward the film they feel is most deserving of Filminute’s People’s Choice award.

“We expect social media to continue to play an increasing role in the growth of the festival,” says Filminute co-founder Sabaa Quao. “Not only can filmmakers take direct control over the marketing of their film, the sharing and discussion of the film between the filmmakers and their audiences is a natural marketing driver. Much of what a filmmaker learns to do here is applicable to learning how to better market their feature length projects.”

The 7^th edition of the festival also features a more accessible website and an expanded pool of global media partners who will all be choosing their top picks from the festival to screen for their audiences.

Every year, throughout the month of September, Filminute presents an extraordinary array of 25 films online for festival-goers around the world to enjoy and discuss. The Filminute winners and awards will be announced on October 9.

More information and full details are available at www.filminute.com. You may follow Filminute on Twitter at http://twitter.com/filminute. On Facebook, follow the festival via http://www.facebook.com/filminute.

Welcome to Filminute 2012!

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Filminute press contacts:

John Ketchum john.ketchum(-@-)filminute.com

Sabaa Quao sabaa.quao(-@-)filminute.com

Oana Koulpy filminute2012(-@-)gmail.com

LIST OF THE 25 FILMS SHORTLISTED AT FILMINUTE 2012

Argentina

CIUDAD HELSING, Gustavo Cordero

URL http://www.filminute.com/listing.php?type=1&edition=2012&film=171